Anti-counterfeit technology news in brief

A round-up of new technology developments in the anti-counterfeit sector, featuring updates from GS1/OMA, Applied DNA Sciences, Ingenia, Authenticateit and Verify Brand.

GS1 and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) are collaborating on a project to bring intelligent bar code scanning to mobile devices in a bid to make it easier for application developers to allow their apps to scan and link to trusted content. The new specification will cover universal scanning of standardised bar codes, built in to the mobile device camera, with intelligent linking to trusted content provided by the bar code owner and support for user analytics. It will also help app developers who wish to incorporate scanning into their products. The two organisations aim to launch the new specification in 2014.

Applied DNA Sciences (APDN) has acquired the forensic tagging portfolio of UK company RedWeb Technologies in a £400,000 ($625,000) deal. The deal includes RedWeb's Advanced Molecular Taggant Technology (AMT), which APDN says is complementary to its forensic DNA marking platform, and the Sentry 500 Intruder Spray System. The two companies had previously partnered in marketing an anti-theft product, which combines RedWeb's Sentry Intruder Spray Systems with APDN's DNA evidentiary marker.

Ingenia Technology has launched the first product in its new K-series of high-speed laser scanners to help manufacturers combat counterfeiting and diversion practices. Designed to be integrated into the fastest production lines, the company says the new scanner can scan at 10m/s or up to 50 items a second - approximately 20 per cent faster than any competing anti-counterfeiting scanner currently on the market. The scanner is the latest iteration of Ingenia's Laser Surface Authentication (LSA) technology, which scans the surface of products to generate an intrinsic 'fingerprint' of each item that can be referenced against a secure database.

Australian start-up company Authenticateit has launched a free app for iOS and Android that can be used to check the authenticity of a product before purchase using GS1-compatible unique product identifiers that are either "stitched in labels, printed on the product, or on packaging", according to the firm. Companies that have signed up to use the Authenticateit system include footwear company Jumbo Ugg and leather goods supplier LeSerge.

Verify Brand says it has enhanced its serialisation, traceability and authentication platform, VB Enterprise, to support asset visibility and supply-chain security for OEMs and government contractors. VB Enterprise uses unique, unpredictable codes or serial numbers, as well as product traceability, to help combat potentially dangerous counterfeits and secure the supply chain for mission-critical parts, including command, control, communications and computer (C4) equipment.