New test methods and simulation models for contactless eIDs set standards in international standardisation
Neubiberg and Berlin, 12August 2014 – Electronic identity documents (eIDs) in the form of contactless smartcards will in future be more than just proof of identity. They could additionally serve as multi-functional cards that can be used in many other areas of everyday life: for instance, as a public transport ticket, as company ID or as a library card. This is indeed consumer-friendly, but will expose the smartcards to greater pressure than before. In order to adequately address new use scenarios already during the design phase of the smartcards and in order to enable better testing and assessment conditions, Bundesdruckerei GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM have joined forces as partners in the two-year SeManTiK project (“Secure and long-life eID applications for human/machine interaction”). Theydeveloped realistic test methods and simulation models and explored new methods of integrating the chip into the card body.
Research results have convinced the smartcard industry and international standardisation bodies
More than 35,000 cards were packaged, tested, analysed and evaluated in 20 different test combinations. The new test sequences developed in the project made it possible to obtain extraordinarily reliable and precise confirmation of failure rates and patterns which have been observed in international smartcard projects with more than 50 million cards in day-to-day use. “In future, our research results from SeManTiK will thus become part of the work of the international standardisation bodies of the smartcard industry and demonstrate Bundesdruckerei’s innovation leadership”, says Joachim Kloeser, chief project manager and coordinator at Bundesdruckerei. Thanks to SeManTiK, card manufacturers can simulate the life of the documents better than before and adjust the design as required. “If contactless eIDs are to be used several times a day in future, they must withstand significantly greater stress than before”, says Peter Stampka, initiator and project manager at Infineon Technologies in Regensburg. “The results from SeManTiK will help to improve the mechanical strength of contactless eIDs and are therefore also an important step towards achieving parity between the optical and electronic security of ID documents.” The SeManTiK project was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with €1.8m over a term of 2.5 years. The “human/machine interaction” research topic addresses new technologies in an interdisciplinary research and action plan. It focuses on technical innovation which, along with social innovation, responds to the special challenges facing society at times of demographic change. The expertise of the Federal Criminal Police Office for forensic and methodological analyses as well as the know-how of Specialty Films of Bayer MaterialScience AG in the field of substrate materials were also contributed towards the research work.
About Bundesdruckerei
Berlin-based Bundesdruckerei GmbH offers Full ID | Management with system solutions and services for secure identification in both the analogue and digital world, and is one of the world’s leading companies operating in this field. Its portfolio ranges from data capture, management and encryption to the production of documents and verification devices right through to electronic border control solutions, software for high-security infrastructures, as well as complete passport and ID card systems. D-TRUST, Bundesdruckerei’s accredited trust service provider, is one of the few companies in Germany to offer sector-spanning solutions for qualified certificates, time stamps, authorisation certificates and eID services for the German ID card. Bundesdruckerei also produces banknotes, postage and revenue stamps as well as electronic publications. The Bundesdruckerei Group with its subsidiaries BIS Bundesdruckerei International Services GmbH, D-TRUST GmbH, Maurer Electronics GmbH and iNCO Sp. z o.o. employs a staff of around 2,100 worldwide. In the 2013 financial year, the Group generated revenue of EUR 398.3 million. Bundesdruckerei holds shares in DERMALOG Identification Systems GmbH, the world’s leading manufacturer of automated fingerprint identification systems with its headquarters in Hamburg, and in cryptovision GmbH which specialises in cryptographic methods. For more information, go to: www.bundesdruckerei.de.
About Infineon
Infineon Technologies AG offers semiconductor and systems solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: Energy efficiency, Mobility as well as Security. In the 2013 fiscal year (ending September 30), the company reported sales of EUR 3.84 billion with approximately 26,700 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the US on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY). For more information, go to: www.infineon.com
About Fraunhofer IZM
As part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Fraunhofer IZM specializes in applied and industrial contract research. Fraunhofer IZM’s focus is on packaging and joining technology and the integration of multifunctional electronics into systems. The institute has a staff of more than 300 and saw a turnover of €29m in 2013. The five Fraunhofer IZM departments promote internationally cutting-edge technology development. In key development topics, the Fraunhofer IZM researchers monitor and develop highly promising research and questions, paving the way for futureprojects with industry. For more information, go to:www.izm.fraunhofer.de
