Smartrac Launches Document Authentication Solution Powered by Blockchain

By Aubrey Swanson·22 November 2016·2 min read

Key Points

Smartrac, the world's largest provider of radio-frequency identification products and Internet-of-Things hardware, unveiled dLoc, a document verification and authentication system that anchors paper r

Smartrac, the world's largest provider of radio-frequency identification products and Internet-of-Things hardware, unveiled dLoc, a document verification and authentication system that anchors paper records to a public blockchain using technology from Factom. The platform merges NFC chips with IoT sensors and blockchain technology to authenticate everything from birth certificates to land titles to medical records, enabling governments, hospitals, universities, and banks to verify documents.

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Abhi Dobhal, VP of Business Development at Factom, said: "dLoc is the first practical document authentication system that utilizes the Factom Blockchain to bridge the data integrity gap between the physical and digital world. We now have a reliable way to secure information on paper-based documents with digital data using blockchain technology. dLoc's data and identity authentication solution holds great promise for both public and private sectors where paper-based documents are widely used."

The system operates through Smartrac's Smart Cosmos platform, which integrates with Factom's blockchain layer. The process begins when users apply a dLoc sticker to a document. The sticker contains a Smartrac BullsEye NFC inlay embedded with a security chip, available in various configurations with storage ranging from 1kB to 64kB. A printed barcode on the sticker represents a unique number and links personalized data to the physical document. The system then hashes the document data together with the NFC tag's unique identifier, producing a 32-bit value that only the issuing agency can recognize with its private key. Once Smart Cosmos records this hash value and backs it up on the public blockchain, authorized parties can verify the document in the field using a desktop reader or a smartphone app on any NFC-enabled device. Each issuing entity maintains its private key to trace the complete history of the document. The NFC chip can also retain context information including images and biometric data, storing this information either as public data or as data accessible only to authorized parties.

Smartrac announced dLoc days before Chronicled, a San Francisco-based blockchain and IoT company, unveiled CryptoSeal, a competing solution for physical asset tracking and supply chain verification. Like dLoc, CryptoSeal features an NFC chip carrying unique identity information embedded into physical products. The system registers the identity of each object onto a blockchain, along with the identity of the registrant and metadata about packaging and assets, creating a secure chain of custody for supply chain operations. Chronicled plans to launch CryptoSeal to market in the final months of the year.

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