Authentix Gem Vision Camera System And Benefits Of CD12Product, Feature or Process Owner Release Date (Date made available to public)
12/05/2024
Project Description
As the cash cycle continues to evolve, Central Banks are challenged to lower the costs associated with currency management while fighting new counterfeiting threats and improving the quality of circulating banknotes. The Authentix GemVision™ Camera System is the industry’s first CDI2 fitness solution. GemVision is powered by the Vision Inspector software solution developed by Boulder Imaging, that allows for an unprecedented number of fitness related measurements to be made in a real time processing environment while operating on commercially available Windows based servers. The high-speed (44 banknotes per second), high-resolution (50 micron gray scale) imaging sensors and Image Evaluation Unit are designed in support of the new Common Detector Interface (CDI2) specification agreed to by the United States Federal Reserve Bank
and the European Central Bank.
This greatly helps cash visibility as it allows a Central Bank to select a fitness sensor with capabilities aligned to the fitness criteria that they value, whether it is accurate soiling determination, ink wear assessment on polymer notes or fitness determination of Level 1 features. The improved data access and direct control of note sorting provides Central Banks with the tools they need to increase cash cycle visibility. This CDI2 common specification also enables sensor fusion whereby results from sensors of multiple suppliers are combined to produce the best overall authentication and fitness decision for each processed banknote, bringing together ideas and solutions from various industry participants. GemVision provides
unprecedented accuracy and speed for feature detection and fitness assessment of banknotes.
Improvement of the Banknote or Printing Process
CDI2 and GemVision improves the improves the efficiency, effectiveness, security and resiliency of a banknote processes by enabling stakeholders to have more cash visibility. It is currently being deployed throughout the U.S. Federal Reserve Financial Services cash processing operations. GemVision detection capabilities include:
- Detection of denomination, series and orientation of notes
- Multi-angle illumination and full color analysis for human-like fitness evaluation
- Industry-leading accuracy and repeatability for banknote evaluation results
- CDI2 compliant image/data streaming for use by other sensors and storage of combined data for research, analysis and system enhancements over time
- High accuracy (>99.99%) determination of serial numbers and smaller printed characters
- A key part of the standard is the Camera Sensor and Fitness Solution. Part of the requirements focus on the note presentation and specify a “belt free view” which enable a higher level of fitness evaluation as compared to transportation approaches where the note is partially obscured by transportation belts. More accurate fitness determination leads to better visibility regarding the quality of notes in circulation. The highly accurate reading of serial numbers and series year information, supports note fitness monitoring programs where the change in fitness of a note is evaluated over time.
- Authentix and Boulder Imaging collaborated with the specification groups within the ECB and FRB by providing feedback on the standards. This was important as key learnings regarding a new standard are typically revealed the first time systems are built following new specification.
- Authentix and Boulder chose to go beyond the base requirements of the standard and implement note image capturing techniques and image processing algorithms that make it possible to assess the fitness of overt features. This is particularly important regarding cash visibility as these are the features that the public relies upon to confirm authenticity and fitness.
Innovation and Unique aspects
GemVision’s Innovative and Unique capabilities extend beyond the CDI2 requirements for the Camera Sensor and fitness solution, including:
- High resolution (100 μm) full color images are captured at note speeds exceeding 10 meters per second (>40 notes/sec) that allow a high accuracy (less than 1 misread in 10,000 notes) of small text items such as the series year and intaglio plate letters and numbers. High-resolution images are also used to confirm the IR transparency of inks, the presence of windowed threads and resolve serial numbers and other text features.
- Balanced illumination is created by a pair of LED illuminators each angled by the same amount off of the plane perpendicular to the note motion. By capturing full color reflectance images using both balanced as well as asymmetric illumination, GemVision confirms the presence and activity of overt features. This creative imaging approach can also determine if the quality of the overt feature has degraded over time and factor this information into the note fitness decision.
- Another unique innovation is detection of the degree of crumples and creasing on banknotes. The presence of shadows on GemVision images provides valuable information which can be used to determine note fitness or the fitness of tactile features for the visually impaired.
- Novel scattering and shadow mask transmission images – GemVision relies upon a creative solution of using two types of scattering images to assess the fitness and authenticity of a banknote. A scattering transmission image is captured by the “back side” sensor housing while the balanced reflection image is captured on the “front side”. As the illumination is arriving on the note at an angle, the transmission image is created by light that is scattered forward into the collection optics. From these images GemVision confirms the presence of embedded security threads, paper “bridges” on windowed threads.
Environmental Impact
- GemVision’s intelligent banknote processing simultaneously reduces the cost of cash as well as its carbon footprint.
- It improves cash visibility by providing unprecedented access to banknote data and images acquired during high-speed banknote processing. This is significant to Federal Reserve Financial Services as it helps reduce the number of notes taken out of circulation prematurely.
- It increases the efficiency of banknote processing and extends the life of notes in circulation by making more intelligent, sustainable sorting decisions regarding banknote authenticity and fitness.
- The CDI2 standard also makes it easier for Central Banks to optimize processing environments by selecting their detectors from multiple suppliers. The new standard is further projected to be adopted industry wide by most Central Banks over the next several years and will provide far greater control for the processing of banknotes and make it easier to select best in breed detection platforms in the future.
- It enhances fitness sorting and lowers the cost to manage cash by decreasing the rate of pre-mature shredding events. In addition, it provides central banks improved access to the sorting decisions and the data behind these decisions.
- Enhanced note fitness assessment is driven by the sensor fusion and directly controlled by central banks regarding note sorting decisions. This enables central banks to assess the quality, wear and authenticity of banknotes with greater accuracy and precision.
- GemVision has a significant positive environmental impact as it empowers central banks to make more informed decisions regarding the circulation and withdrawal of currency, optimizing cash management strategies, maintaining the integrity of the currency supply and reducing the cost of currency management by lowering the rate of erroneous shredding of otherwise fit banknotes.
Authentix Gem Vision Camera System And Benefits Of CD12
Authentix GemVision Overview Presentation
