Integrated Engineering shows versatile e-document reader

Published 27 January 2006

As more countries and organizations resort to biometrics, and more vendors move in the space, there is need for greater standardization and for more flexible readers; Dutch company addresses the second need

More and more countries are planning to begin to use ePassports and other identification and travel documents which combine biometric information and RFID technology. As more countries and organizations adopt the technology, and as more vendors move into the field, the need increases for two things: Standardization of format as for information storage and presentation, and versatile and flexible readers. Amsterdam-based Integrated Engineering, a developer of contactless smart card readers, is working on the second of these requirements. The company has just released its new e-Passport Add-on. The e-Passport Add-on is an auto-detect open book reader for all ISO 14443 level 4 A & B chips. The e-Passport Add-on is able to read the chip regardless the position of the inlay in an open book, including shielded passports. This reader will thus be of great help for airports and other entry ports as they try to get ready for next-generation e-passports.

Integrated Engineering has already developed a desktop version of an e-document reader and a reader with a USB interface offering industry standard PCSC/CCID protocol. The e-Passport Add-on is also available with the company’s TCL protocol. The ready-to-use housing may be mounted on and used in combination with existing optical and OCR readers and verifiers like the Passport Quality Assurance readers, OCR passport readers, and the Passport & ticket readers from RochFord Thompson. J. P. Hulsker, managing director of Integrated Engineering, said: “As one of the leading RFID companies in the world and as technology partner of our customers, we recognized the need for an e-document reader that will add value to an existing reader in stead of replacing it. The e-Passport Add-on will provide the possibility to swipe and read an e-document in one movement.”

-read more in this report; and see Integrated Engineering Web site