VOLUME 34 – NO 10 / OCTOBER 2020

KRYPTEN and ITMO University Envisics Unveil NANOPRINT Secures funding for In- Car Technology Envisics, a UK start-up, has announced that it has raised $50 million in a series B round of funding for its holographic technology that projects head-up display (HUD) images of mapping, navigation guidance and hazard warnings into the driver’s direct line of sight. Dr Jamieson Christmas, the founder of the company, said that the funding is being made at a valuation of over $250 million. The capital is coming from a group of strategic investors that include Hyundai Mobis, General Motors Ventures, SAIC Motors and Van Tuyl Companies ‘Envisics is already working with car companies to integrate its technology Russian-based producer of holograms During their work, the researchers explored into vehicles. Initially, it’s focusing and other optical components KRYPTEN methods for the chemical synthesis of on the higher end of the market and has teamed up with scientists from the ink and found new ways to apply the integrating its technology into electric ITMO University (St Petersburg, Russia) ink to a surface. The group developed vehicles made by GM’, Christmas said. to develop NANOPRINT – a novel programmes to apply the ink through Mass production of vehicles using its inkjet technology for covert inkjet printing to control the orientation of technology is slated for 2023. colour polarised images based on cellulose nanoparticles suspended in the nanocrystalline cellulose. The latent ink to create an optical effect of coloured Christmas initially got into holographic images are invisible in regular (randomly images visible only in polarised light. displays through his first startup, Two Trees, which eventually got acquired in polarised) lighting conditions and Explaining the motivation behind the 2016 by Daqri, an AR glasses company become visible in polarised light from a research, Andrey Smirnov, Head of that was apparently looking for more smartphone display. KRYPTEN’s Holographic Laboratory said: technology to better compete with The joint project combined the ‘in Russia, there is mandatory labelling Microsoft and its HoloLens. developments of KRYPTEN’s Holographic for a whole group of goods to trace their Laboratory in the field of polarised circulation from manufacturing to sale. Continued on page 2 > hidden images – HITTM (Hidden Image However, this system does not guarantee Technology) and SMART-HITTM – and package integrity and does not protect it studies from ITMO University connected against replacement of its contents. We with the invention of ink based on cellulose actively cooperate with the leading Russian nanoparticles. As a result, commercial universities, study new methods of optical inkjet printing technology for hidden images protection of goods against counterfeiting was obtained. and develop security features ensuring the authenticity of goods’. Continued on page 3 > www.holography-news.com Inside this Issue Holograms Help in the 1 KRYPTEN and ITMO University Unveil Fight Against Fake NANOPRINT Academic Certificates 1 Envisics Secures funding Putting the term ‘fake degree certificate’ will combine security print techniques such for In-Car Technology into any search engine comes up as microtext lines, UV invisible and anti- 2 Holograms Help in the with some disturbing, but not wholly scanning inks with some physical optically unexpected, results. As academic variable device – most often a hologram. Fight Against Fake certification fraud becomes more Any attempt to scan a real certificate so that Academic Certificates sophisticated, we take a look at the role personally identifiable information (PII) can 3 IQ Structures Changes holograms can play in defending these be manipulated will not capture the colour most prized of secure documents. shift or depth in the hologram. Structure The fraudulent reproduction of certificates While physical anti-counterfeiting 4 Manoj Kochar – in His has increased significantly in recent years features reduce the risk of tampering, Own Words – affecting both employers and universities, digital solutions help in intelligence and who are duped by fake certificates, but also identifying conspirators working within 5 Interactive Holographic students who are cheated by them. the system, as well as facilitating fast and Promote The impact of fake academic certificates convenient . Wine Provenance and goes beyond undermining the integrity of Many universities are now using digital Fight Fraud the education award system. In India, for track and trace solutions such as the QR instance, the terrorist behind a series of code. Prospective employers or university 6 A Journey Into Invention bomb blasts in 2008 used a fake certificate professionals can check the authenticity of 7 New Dates for Practical to get admission into one of the country’s the degree by scanning these QR codes. top universities. In some academic records management Holography at Photonics According to a recent survey by UK's systems, the code provides a link to a West National Qualification Agency, only one in database containing additional PII about the 7 DDS 2021 (3-4 February) – four university admission staff feel confident bearer of the document. spotting fake qualifications documents. Whilst no secure document is immune from a Shift from Physical to As in all document security, inspecting the counterfeit threats, academic institutions Digital design of the certificate is key. Authentic are becoming increasingly aware that 8 IHMA Steps Up to degrees and certificates from genuine holograms and other anti-counterfeit educational institutions will often use technologies can make illegal copying or Partner The Holography with built-in security features such as reproduction difficult and provide a means Conference Online watermarks and will be checked for any to verify legitimate credentials. (THCO) spelling errors – often an easy tell-tale sign What is also becoming clear is that the for a fake. issuance of these certificates must be But beyond these obvious traps that tightly controlled by each educational casual counterfeiters will fall into, there are institution so that electronic verification a range of techniques that are available to can be easily conducted on credentials prevent tampering or reproduction. Most presented for employment. of the legitimate educational institutions

In-Car Holographic Display Technology (Continued) Christmas said that while Daqri was According to the company’s website, But the final word goes to a company focused on headsets, he still saw an Envisics’ Dynamic Holography Platform that should know about the potential opportunity to work on holographic overlays multiple layers of visual information for holographic HUDs in the automotive technology for automakers and so in 2018, on separate planes and at different market – a car manufacturer. ‘GM is very Christmas separated out Envisics as a distances. It adapts instantly to ambient impressed with Envisics’ holographic separate corporate entity to focus on the light changes, enhancing the view of the augmented reality-enhanced head-up holographic automotive opportunity. road ahead irrespective of the lighting display technology,’ said Matt Tsien, As opposed to the current interest in conditions in the surrounding environment. president of GM Ventures. ‘This technology autonomous vehicles, the company’s tools Part of its success comes from its will help us revolutionise the in-vehicle are not a replacement for human drivers but advances in optical engineering, which experience with a variety of safe, highly enhance how a human can drive. provide greater magnification, improved integrated and intuitive applications, image quality and images displayed at including applications that will enhance the multiple distances simultaneously. hands-free driving experience in the future.’

2 HOLOGRAPHY NEWS | EDITORIAL IQ Structures KRYPTEN and ITMO University Changes Structure (Continued)

He also noted that ‘the project with our colleagues from ITMO’s Chembio Cluster (a network of leading research laboratories) offers new prospects for applying polarised latent images in protecting goods. NANOPRINT is a robust and cost-efficient technology manufacturers can use to protect their goods against counterfeiting’. The new ink consists of special particles about 10 nanometres wide and around 200 nanometres long. In the initial solution they are organised chaotically. NANOPRINT technology modifies the properties of nanoparticles in the solution (applying an electric field to exert an ionic force) so that the particle dynamics arranges them parallel to each other. Eight years after its creation, the IQ The transition to a holding structure is part As a result, cellulose nanoparticles Structures business is transforming of a long-term strategy, with the business are arranged on the surface, not in a into a holding structure. The holding separated into companies that have teams random order, but along an axis and company IQS Group sro now has and resources fully focused on their key form a specific ordered structure. After three subsidiaries, each dedicated to a area of business. drying, the ink creates an optically active specific area of business. ‘Currently, we provide high-end optical coating. A certain thickness of image is The original brand IQ Structures will effects for protection of various documents set to create the polarised effect. The continue to focus on the strongest part and products. In securing ID cards, interference effect is obtained when the of the group to date – protection against passports and banknotes, we want to be coating thickness is at least 10 microns. counterfeiting. The company, which stable among the three largest companies The technology allows printing of high- produces holographic security features for in the world,’ explained Petr Franc, CEO of resolution image elements, including polycarbonate identification documents, IQ Structures. digits, letters, logos and patterns that banknotes and securities, will address its The new company IQS NANOPTIQS takes offer new opportunities for protecting main target groups, which are governments its name from the nano-structured optics goods against counterfeiting. Hidden and state and private security printers, it designs, develops and produces for the images are visualised in polarised light under the brand IQ Structures. international LED lighting market. David from a smartphone, LCD screen or The division dealing in unique nano- Brož, CEO of the new company, added: ordinary polariser. Product identification structured optics will form a new company ‘we were among the first in the world to does not require any complex devices and operate under the name IQS master the development and production or equipment. The effect of the invisible NANOPTIQS. A third company developing of micro- and nano-structured diffractive image might capture the buyer’s a completely new approach to 3D nano- optics. We have opened this market attention, as well as proving the printing technology continues under the segment and are gradually expanding it. In authenticity of the product. name IQS nano. the future, we want to remain number one Nanocrystalline cellulose ink offers in this direction on the global market. Its ‘3D nano-printing, security and the optical the prospect of reducing the cost of potential is in hundreds of millions of euros.’ part of our business group operate in hidden image printing compared to markets with different business conditions The third company, IQS nano, plans to more expensive liquid crystals featuring and habits. Individual companies will now use its more than 20 years of experience similar optical effects. Inkjet printing is a be able to enter into business relationships in synthetic holography, micro-optics and fast and relatively inexpensive method in accordance with the specifics of lithographic technologies to develop a of commercial printing which would their business segments and develop technology for writing three-dimensional make it feasible to use NANOPRINT independently,’ said CEO of parent objects with a resolution of hundreds technology in the serial production of company IQS Group Tomáš Těthal. of nanometres. security features to protect documents, At present, about 70% of IQS Group's The companies IQS Group, IQ Structures, packaging or applied to security labels. turnover is generated from security features, IQS NANOPTIQS and IQS nano are based in and about 30% is NANOPTIQS. 3D Řež near Prague, Czech Republic. They also nano-printing is in the development stage share another establishment – a nano-centre of a new generation of nano-printers for in Brno – and IQS Group now holds a total of mass production. 23 patents and patent applications.

VOLUME 34 – NO 10 | OCTOBER 2020 3 Manoj Kochar – in His Own Words India has, for many years, been a Q: What do you consider to be India had very high rates of import taxes hothouse for the development of your greatest achievement as the in those days. Hence in a low-cost market commercial holography and Holoflex IHMA Chairman? such as India, we were forced to develop Limited has been active in the Indian A: Being elected as the first Chairman home-grown materials and develop our market, and beyond, since 1991. of IHMA from Asia was indeed a proud own know-how to make the product work. The company, based in Kolkata, privilege for me. It was humbling and at Getting a consistent tamper evident film in is a member of and award winner the same time exciting as I now had an those days was difficult, as the film would from the International Hologram opportunity to contribute to the growth delaminate on the release paper and would Manufacturers Association (IHMA) and and the direction in which the industry not show signs of tampering all once affixed the Authentication Solution Providers' was headed. to the product. Gradually an entire eco Association (ASPA). system has developed in India with several I was no doubt helped by my experience reputed suppliers of the foils, adhesives, as the President of Authentication Solution coatings and release liners to help the Providers Association (ASPA) for two years. technology stabilise. I was also very fortunate to receive the guidance and advice of a very active Board I am happy to state that there are several and an able Secretariat with Mark Deakes Indian companies that export finished at the helm. hologram labels, foils and films and also the raw material to the industry all over One positive development that happened the world. during my tenure was the commencement of the relationship between South Korean Q: Do you have in-house origination and Holography Forum and the IHMA. I visited plate making capabilities? Seoul to make a presentation about IHMA A: Yes, we have in-house origination and activities, which led to the Hologram plate making capability at Holoflex. We got Forum becoming an IHMA member, and a dot matrix and also a 2D/3D origination opened the doors for a closer interaction lab almost 20 years ago. Since then we between the IHMA and South Korea’s also invested in a hi-res mastering system hologram communities. from Kinemax. Q: What was it like in the early years We design and make our own master for of Holoflex? almost all the holograms produced by us, as we recently did for the Aadhaar card So, Holography News thought it about time A: Holography was making its presence hologram. The Aadhaar card is the resident to catch up with one of its Directors, Manoj felt in the early nineties practically all over Indian citizen’s identification card. All Indian Kochar, to find out a bit more about the the world. The Visa hologram on the Visa citizens are issued an Aadhaar card and company, its plans and ambitions. credit card was a big reference that a lot of us referred to in those days to gain it is widely used by them to establish their Can you give some background on Q: credibility for the technology. There were identity. The Aadhaar card has recently yourself and how you got involved in sceptics, who doubted the potential of the been launched as a card in credit commercial holography? technology, but I have myself seen many of card size with several high security features. A: I graduated in the Commerce stream them converted to staunch believers once Holoflex is proud to be selected as the from St Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and they saw the technology at work. exclusive hologram vendor for this project. sometime in 1990 was introduced to this This hologram was designed and produced In those days holography also had a emerging technology called holography that in-house and is a great example of the huge novelty value. One of our initial seemed very apt for the Indian markets. I ‘Make in India’ initiative launched by our breakthrough projects was the hologram for was struck by the almost hypnotic effect a Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi. the Cricket World Cup that was held in India hologram had (still has, at least for me), and in 1996. We supplied hologram labels that Q: What are the current production how it engaged the viewer. were affixed on all the entry tickets to the capabilities of the company? Since the technology was still evolving in matches in India. Around the same time, a A: In keeping with the changing times, those days, it did seem risky for a first- hologram was also made mandatory on the Holoflex has evolved from being only generation entrepreneur, but I, along with Indian voters’ identity card. Some time later a hologram producer to a provider of my partner Mr Kamal Surana, decided the hologram also made its appearance on authentication and labelling solutions. to take the plunge, and incorporated the liquor tax stamp. Such developments Security is the backbone of our company Holoflex Limited in 1991. Thankfully, there were very good references to gain credibility and is what we have done for the better hasn't been a single moment when we for the technology. part of our existence and it still is the have regretted our decision. It was a great This further led to a stupendous growth biggest share of our business. experience – learning about the technology, in the brand protection segment. Many We do holograms for payment cards, and then explaining what a hologram is leading brands adopted the hologram in identification cards, driving licences, tax and what it does, to everyone who cared those days to protect and identify their stamps, vehicle security, toll tax protection, to listen. brand, to differentiate themselves, and brand protection and secure promotions. Since then it has been a fantastic journey, to enhance the perceived value of their Besides this we also produce labelling and I am proud that Holoflex has made its product. Several promotions were designed solutions for all kinds of industries such as presence felt with satisfied customers all around holography that intertwined the pharmaceutical and healthcare, automotive, over the globe. inherent security and the novelty of the agriculture, and beverage, and FMCG. product to create memorable campaigns.

4 HOLOGRAPHY NEWS | ON THE RECORD Interactive Holographic We have several technologies at work – security designing, flexo printing, variable Labels Promote data printing, demetallisation, taggant technology, security ink integration with Wine Provenance and holograms and labels etc. Our endeavour is to ensure that we are able to provide a customised solution to all our buyers. Fight Fraud Q: What do you see as the growth The National Office of Vine and with fakes. By adding a holographic opportunities for the commercial Vitivinicultural Products (ONVPV) in to wine bottles, the ONVPV is helping holography industry? Romania is using holographic labelling to counter this trend, promoting the from security printer Eltronis to provenance of the region and building A: We believe that holography remains promote the provenance of its regional protection against potential counterfeiting. the most potent identification feature by wines and protect drinkers from an untrained eye. However, no industry Founded in 2003, with headquarters in potential counterfeits. or technology can retain its pre-eminent the UK and manufacturing in Eastern stature if it does not innovate and stay Europe, Eltronis used its experience of relevant to the changing times, and holographic techniques and materials holography can be no different. gained from protecting high security identification documents in the production Like the other leading players in the of this label. The holographic design industry, Holoflex realised this quite some contains multiple security features, time back. We have since then developed making it difficult to reproduce, while the several new products that carry a hologram label material allows it to be applied to a as a key identification feature – speciality variety of different substrates. label substrates, induction seals, shrink sleeves. Each of these products is With high thermal, mechanical and witnessing good growth due to value chemical resistance the label cannot addition from holography, flexo printing and The new labels combine an instantly be removed without damaging it, thus other conversion technologies. identifiable holographic brand design making it impossible to reuse on other with several layers of security features, products. In addition, a special sub- In the Indian market we see consistent including a unique code and serial surface printing technique is used for growth in the brand protection and tax number that enables verification online the variable data, making the label both stamp business. The Indian government and via smartphones. more durable and extremely resistant to has been evaluating the possibility of potential alteration. incorporating holograms on Indian Consumers simply scan the QR code, banknotes and also a holographic which is uniquely linked to each bottle overlay for the Indian passport, and of wine. This provides access to a this is a huge opportunity for the Indian wide variety of information on the holography industry. wine’s pedigree and production, as well as confirming that it is genuine. If I am of the firm belief that the holography the scanned label contains an invalid industry will keep growing in the foreseeable or duplicate code, the ONVPV is future, and India will see a large chunk of automatically alerted. this growth. The ONVPV oversees national vineyard Q: What plans do you have for the management and winemaking in Romania company and how has it been impacted by and supports traditional methods of the COVID-19 pandemic? wine production in this designated A: Holoflex has recently completed an geographical area. expansion where we invested over $2 Dorin Ştefan Duşa, General Manager million in new equipment. The pandemic at ONVPV, said: ‘holographic markings started almost immediately thereafter, that certify the origin and authenticity of which did not help our plans. Since April we wine are an important part in our efforts have lost two months of total production, to promote our producers and a very and for the two months after that we were effective tool against counterfeiters. operating at barely half the capacity. We Pete Smallwood, Business Development are currently almost touching the same ‘With our latest label design, consumers Manager for Eltronis, said: ‘the use volumes as pre-COVID-19 levels, and can interact much more easily via their of holograms to identify and protect with some luck hope to close the financial smartphones, giving them access to the products of geographic importance is well year at almost similar revenues as the last latest information on their wines. This known due to their highly visual effect and financial year. has proved very popular and already led instant recognition by consumers’. to the annual volume of labels used by He went on to say: ‘with the addition winemakers more than doubling – and we of the QR code and latest holographic expect this upward trend to continue.’ features, not only are they delivering Across the world, wine fraud is becoming greater brand impact on shelf, their increasingly prevalent, with online sales security has been taken to another level making it easier for fraudsters to trick with this new design, combining the best consumers and replace genuine wines of physical and digital protection’.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS | VOLUME 34 – NO 10 | OCTOBER 2020 5 A Journey Into Invention At this year’s Optical Document Security Conference™, Charlie Gale from start-up company Pulse Tech Security, based in Leicester (UK), outlined the company’s journey from road signs and QR codes to producing Denisyuk holograms for authentication by smartphones. Charlie Gale is an inventor, entrepreneur, director of Pulse Tech Security and a product designer, and is currently a senior industrial designer for Dyson’s (the same Dyson that has revolutionised domestic appliances) new product innovation department, where he has continued to work for the past six years. During his final year at university, Charlie was challenged to repackage an existing technology to solve an everyday problem. Like many of the best inventions, the problem that he chose to solve was triggered by a bad experience of his own. Schematic of different users accessing different types of information from a QR code. He had received a speeding ticket which he blamed on not being able to see the road Pulse Tech Security’s vision was to combine However, such a structure creates a sign clearly. Goaded by the experience, the benefits of QR codes, being unique thickness issue. This problem was solved Charlie set about enhancing road signs by and digital, with the security of a volume by using interlaced QR codes so that at the addition of a lenticular lens onto the hologram to build a new type of digital very similar angles different codes can front of road signs, thereby making them holographic security marker. be observed. more visible and legible to road users. Early prototypes using silver halide materials A prototype hologram using photopolymer Road signs proved that a covert QR code could be incorporating interlaced QR codes was Prototype road signs were produced embedded into a volume hologram and produced, in collaboration with OpSec incorporating arrows that rotated clockwise read by a smartphone in diffuse lighting Security, which enabled different QR codes as the driver approached and drove around when produced using RGB (Red, Green to be viewed at different angles. the sign, thereby enhancing the visibility of and Blue) lasers. the signs. However, there were concerns Having succeeded with the early overt that the signs would be a distraction QR holographic prototypes, focus shifted to drivers and so the focus moved to onto exploring covert QR codes where developing ‘pulsing’ road signs or varying it was possible to embed QR codes up the retro reflectivity of the signs. to 7cm in depth beneath the volume Pulsing road signs were produced using hologram surface, which would be difficult an innovative and patented lenticular for counterfeiters to find unless using phase mask method involving varying the laser light. thickness of the ink printed on the back of The next step was to combine both the the lenticules of the lenticular lens. overt and covert QR codes together into However, despite Charlie’s hope that this one volume hologram using photopolymer would be a ‘light switch’ moment, there material but without losing clarity or was little commercial interest and the local brightness. A demonstration sample on governments responsible for road signage a tax stamp using photopolymer material weren’t interested in upgrading their was produced. technology unless legislated to do so. QR code stack QR code stimulus As the development progressed, the idea Holographic interlaced QR code prototypes using photopolymer produced by OpSec Security. Sometime after the lenticular road signs emerged of a QR code stack incorporated project, Charlie attended a concert and within photopolymer prototypes. This would So far in his journey, Charlie has developed noticed the entry ticket incorporated a comprise an overt visible QR code viewable a new type of security marker that QR code. This gave him the idea that the by an end user, and readily scannable in combines both overt and covert QR codes QR code represented different things to diffuse lighting conditions, combined with and that can combine different data sets different people in the information chain. several covert QR code layers beneath the with volume holography. The end user may want to scan the QR surface that could be viewable by different Next steps in the journey include code to obtain ticket authentication, entry laser lights for inspectors or other supply experimenting with different techniques or event analytics, but distributors and the chain partners. venue organisers might want access to (software and hardware) to read and As the development evolved, the use of different and perhaps more overt and covert authenticate the interlaced QR codes and lenticular phase masks initially used on road information. This provided the stimulus the incorporation of a spatial light modulator signs were explored to present different for the idea that both overt and covert (SLM) to produce a process to generate codes viewable at different angles. information could be built into the QR code. a unique digital information/code per security marker.

6 HOLOGRAPHY NEWS | TECHNOLOGY NEWS New Dates for Practical Holography at Photonics West The new dates for Practical Holography Materials Applications XXXV, which is part of the OPTO Materials for holography and 3D imaging for application in industry, section of Photonics West, have been diffractive optics medicine, education, advertising, and announced as 6-11 March, 2021. The Holographic performance and other visual communication areas, with an revised dates provide more space at optical properties emphasis on the visualisation of 3D digital the conference venue, The Moscone data by holographic means; holographic Mechanism of image formation Center, San Francisco, to accommodate stereograms and computer-generated the programme and the exhibition as Modelling and analysis of image holograms (which are areas of new health and safety guidelines and holographic performance strong current interest), including HOEs in requirements are implemented. Durability and environmental testing of autostereoscopic 3D systems The Practical Holography conference has materials and devices, and materials Processes, hardware, and techniques: an open call for which fall into issues affecting device construction new systems and applications for the three categories. HOEs and DOEs utilising materials recording, producing, manufacturing, Displays properties for enhanced performance or optimising of holograms and diffractive elements Techniques and concepts in Improved processing of materials, display holography including techniques and processes Digital reconstructions of holograms for for production of holograms, HOEs, image analysis ‘Electro-holography’, meaning the and DOEs electronic generation, transmission, or Metrology, microscopy, non-destructive display of holographic image information, Real-time and active holographic testing, and holographic optical and the creation of dynamic or interactive materials and processes for elements, emphasising the application holographic images information storage and dynamically and engineering issues rather than switchable holograms the underlying scientific principles or Spatial light modulators, computational component fabrication issues methods, and related technologies Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) relevant to advances in digital applications of holographic materials Artistic applications of holography and holographic imaging Applications and demonstrations of the use of holography in recording and display of historical items. Perceptual issues related to viewing of new or improved materials in display holographic images. holography, security holograms, HOEs, The ‘Call for Papers’ can be found here. DOEs, holographic information storage, and real-time holography.

DDS 2021 (3-4 February) – a Shift from Physical to Digital The Digital Document Security™ DDS 2021 connects the communities at the The lively exchanges between proposer (DDS) Conference is a response to interface between these physical and digital Ian Lancaster, Chairman of the Digital the introduction of digital systems domains of document security to create a Document Security Conference, and into the secured document field forum to meet, share ideas and establish Joshua Mármol, Managing Director of GET – from the use of smartphones to mutual understanding for innovation in this Secure ID Corp, opposing the motion, authenticate physical documents or important field. stimulated strong audience participation in act as carriers for ID documents, to the People involved in the digital transaction, the Q&A section of the event. deployment of artificial intelligence, identity and authentication communities, as The next debate is scheduled for the big data, and blockchain for security well as specifiers, designers, producers and middle of December. If you would like document applications. issuers of secure documents will find DDS to suggest a topic to be debated please Ironically, the conference itself is now 2021 a valuable forum to learn, network contact [email protected]. following the same route from physical and explore possibilities. And don’t panic, yet! If you would like to to digital as the conference organisers, DDS 2021 will also help the established present at the conference there’s still time Reconnaissance, announce that DDS 2021 secure document community come to to click here and send your proposal for will be an online event (3-4 February, 2021), understand the disruptive potential of the consideration. allowing participants from across the globe digital world. With no hotel or travel costs to consider, to attend without the cost and inconvenience In the run up to the conference, DDS 2021 would be the ideal opportunity of travelling in these days of COVID-19. Reconnaissance is staging a series of for a group of colleagues to gather at As the physical conference was to have Great ID Debates, that take on some of this truly global event for the industry. To been in Vienna, you might say that the biggest issues in the digital document register click here. what you lose in strudels, you gain in security industry and debate them in an convenience – or is that stretching the online forum. The first debate examined the analogy of the trade-off between the motion that ‘this house believes that we are benefits of physical and digital a bit too far! rushing into an unknown digital future’.

CONFERENCES | VOLUME 34 – NO 10 | OCTOBER 2020 7 IHMA Steps Up to Partner The Holography Conference Online (THCO) The International Hologram In amongst the presentations, At the end of the first day of the conference Manufacturer’s Association (IHMA) will discussions and Q&As, The Excellence (8 December) the IHMA will hold its be holding its AGM and Excellence in in Holography Awards will build into a Annual General Meeting (AGM), giving all Holography Awards as part of THCO sparkling online Awards Ceremony in the members a chance to review the work of (8-9 December). following categories: the association and plan for its future. To The aim of THCO is to provide an online Innovation in Holographic Technology allow members of the IHMA an opportunity to attend the AGM without signing up forum for the exchange of information Best Origination and experience between hologram for THCO, the event will be held on a Best Display or Emerging Technology suppliers, producers and users, and the separate platform. Application of Holography sharing and showcasing of the latest It seems fitting that as holography continues technologies, production techniques, Best Applied Security Product to merge the physical with the digital that new applications and markets, as well as Best Applied Decorative/ we should be meeting virtually this year, so industry-wide issues that we now face in a Packaging Product. click here to register or sponsor the event. COVID-19 world. You can nominate a project for The THCO will be a fully interactive and virtual Excellence in Holography Awards by event. Appealing to people from all over clicking here. The deadline for nominations the world, this truly international event is 6 November. will take place for three hours a day over With no hotel or travel costs to consider this two days. Individual presentations as year, THCO would be the ideal opportunity well as panel style formats will allow the for a group of colleagues to gather at the audience to be completely involved in the industry’s one truly global event. For a conversation, in the form of Q&As, polls group booking, please contact Samantha and audience-led discussion. There will be Burns for more information – Over the two days of THCO there will be sam@recon- plenty of opportunity for networking as well intl.com. as the chance to get up to date with all the plenty of opportunity to see presentations developments from within the industry from from runners-up in the competition leading the comfort of your home or office. up to the disclosure of the winner towards the end of the conference on 9 December.

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8 HOLOGRAPHY NEWS | CONFERENCES