International Document Reader Now Available

Countries around the world are now introducing the electronic passport. In many countries, for example, throughout the EU, legislators are now following a recommendation by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) according to which passport holders must be given the opportunity to view the data stored in the chip of their passports. Bundesdruckerei GmbH as the market leader in visualisation devices, has developed a new device for this process which is now available world-wide. "Visotec Expert 100" ensures for all citizens the necessary transparency of their ID data stored in their passport chips.

"Visotec Expert 100" is a stand-alone unit which includes its own CPU and monitor. The device can hence be used independent of existing IT infrastructures. It only has to be connected to power and is then immediately ready for operation. As soon as the opened passport is inserted into the reading shaft, communication between reader and chip starts, secured by a public key infrastructure (PKI). Within a few seconds, the data stored in the chip is displayed on the swivelling monitor. A software upgrade for the reader is due to be released soon which will then also permit the display of chip contents which are protected by the new extended access control (EAC) mechanism, such as fingerprint images. "Visotec Expert 100" can be adapted to country-specific specifications, for example, with regard to the position of the chip in the document or the user language. The reader hence offers maximum compatibility.

The reader has a 24-month guarantee. It is designed for 5 years of maintenance-free operation, does not generate any further installation costs and does not require user training thanks to extremely simple operation. All these benefits combine to make the device unique on the market. Besides international use at document issuing authorities, the reader can also be used at embassies and consulates, for instance.

"Visotec Expert 100" is another member of the document checking family from Bundesdruckerei. With its Visotec readers which are in use in countries around the world, such as the Ukraine, the Emirate of Dubai, Luxembourg, Lithuania or Venezuela, the company contributes towards preventing identity fraud. One special feature of the Visotec devices is the fact that the documents are read automatically after insertion into the reader and, depending on the device type, also checked.

"Visotec Expert 100" is another link in the ID system chain. No other company in the world is currently able to implement the complete ID value process, from digital application for an ID document via high-security document production right through to reading and checking processes. In conjunction with the signature and PKI solutions of the company's subsidiary D-Trust as well as personalisation equipment from Maurer Electronics GmbH, Bundesdruckerei is a one-stop supplier of complete, demand-orientated systems for ID security applications.