Canada places US$2.8 million order

The Canadian government has placed a US$2.8 million order with Viisage Technology (a subsidiary of L1 Identity Solutions) for document authentication readers with Smartchip/RFID capabilities.

The readers will be used at Canada’s international airports and land border crossings to read and authenticate ePassports that contain personal information stored on RFID chips. The devices form part of a security upgrade programme for Canada, as well as extending its use of the technology at land borders.

“We believe that this order for 415 readers, in combination with the 400 already deployed in Canada, makes the Canadian programme the single largest deployment of RFID-enabled document authentication readers in the world,” says Jim Ebzery, president of L-1’s Viisage subsidiary.

The ePassport Smartchip reader is based on the iA-thenticate platform, which uses a combination of hardware and software to read and authenticate identity credentials through a process of RFID scanning, image processing and data analysis. Border personnel insert any ePassport onto the device and it will image, read and authenticate the MRZ (machine-readable zone) page of the passport or visa, while simultaneously reading and authenticating the Smartchip, regardless of whether the chip is located on the front or back of the document.