RFID passport article in the UK's "Guardian" newspaper...

[Jon Callas]

On 20 Nov 2006, at 9:46 PM, Steve Schear wrote:

> Assume that smartcard based passports will be used in the same way  
> the current variety are, that is swiped in or placed near a contact  
> or contact-less reader by the immigration officer within a meter or  
> so of the passport presenter.  Why not create a relay chip that  
> provides all of the expected interfaces to the reader but also uses  
> a wireless link to a pocket ASIC carried by the passport presenter  
> or someone else nearby with the necessary computational power.  I  
> suspect such a relay chip would be much cheaper to design and  
> manufacture than the real smartcard chip.  Could be really useful  
> for other apps as well, I suspect.

I think that all this is just more reason that they should do what I  
suggested ages ago -- 2D barcodes. Two facing pages in the passport  
could be easily scanned, and would have plenty of information. it's  
not sexy, but it would work. It also wouldn't have the inherent  
misfeature of being able to be read from a distance through someone's  
pocket. That would mean it could even be plaintext.

	Jon

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