Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Andrupos (Automatic non-destructive recognition of used printing techniques on substrates)

Teaser

The main idea of the Andrupos project is to develop a system that automatically identifies printers that are used on documents. It furthermore adds cutting-edge forensic intelligence that can be used to link criminal organizations world-wide. This system also eases and reduces...

Summary

The main idea of the Andrupos project is to develop a system that automatically identifies printers that are used on documents. It furthermore adds cutting-edge forensic intelligence that can be used to link criminal organizations world-wide. This system also eases and reduces inspection effort on forensic document examination and provides a central database containing information about printing technologies and printers as well as specific information of individual printers.
Today document examination is done manually and the larger the number of documents, printing tech-nologies and printer models to be investigated, the less time-efficient manual examination becomes. Very often it is not feasible to prosecute document counterfeiters due to the difficulty in establishing links between these people and their printing equipment. Sometimes also invasive methods are used for fo-rensic examination implicating that the probe will be destroyed during the examination phase.
In this context, the objectives of our overall innovation project are to develop technologies for a soft-ware based, automated and non-destructive analysis of printed documents in terms of the identification of the utilised printing technology (like intaglio-, inkjet-, solid Ink-, laser-, thermal print, offset and other) and for digital printing technologies also the print engine, the printer brand and model or even seri-al number/specific printer.
With the knowledge of printing information of a single printed document different examination use cases can be set up comprising also sets of documents like determining if all pages were printed with the same printer. Documents in question will be banknotes, pass¬ports, ID cards, residence permits, tickets, finan-cial documents, threatening letters, stamps and other.

The specific objectives for the feasibility study are:
- Verification of the technological/practical as well as economic viability of the innovation idea/concept including the risk analysis both technical and ecomical.
- Definition of a basic (client and server side) IT-system including server infrastructure, IT-security issues and risk assessment as well as scanning and camera systems for (office / mobile) applica-tions.
- Intensifying existing contacts with first end users: ECB, Europol, OLAF, Frontex, National Polices and banks including specification of the requirements of the primary use cases (with end-users), basic forecast and consideration of advanced use cases and “intelligent forensics”.
- Establishing and intensifying contact to printer manufacturer.
- Identification of other existing databases with document security features to be able to combine with the Andrupos system.
- Elaboration of a business plan including innovation strategy, a plan to manage the IP and the de-tection of possible bottlenecks in the ability to increase profitability of the enterprise through inno-vation.

Work performed

The achievements of the study are:
- Verification of the technological/practical as well as economic viability including risk analysis (e.g. response time, reliablity of detection, achievable price per check, number of installed checkpoints) of the innovation concept by transferring the methods and results developed for inkjet printers to other digital printing technologies as well as increasing the printer database
- Definition of a basic (client / server side) IT-system including server infrastructure, IT-security issues and risk assessment and a market survey on available scanning and camera systems
- Established contact to main printer manufacturer
- Intensified (existing) contacts with first end users
- Determination of the specific requirements of the primary use cases (together with stakeholders / end-users): document forgery of banknotes, ID cards, stamps, financial documents (invoices, ..) as well as a forecast to more advanced use cases / “intelligent forensics”
- Identification of existing databases with document security features to be able to combine with the Andrupos system.
- Plan to manage the Intellectual Property (IP)
- Detection of possible bottlenecks in the ability to increase profitability
- Business plan (including obtaining additional “market” information from the first stakeholders), innovation strategy.

Final results

The main economic and social problems being solved with teh help the Andrupos system are:
- Identification of printers (technology, brand, model, item) used to generate questioned documents.
- Simplification and radical reduction of inspection effort (time and money) for forensic examination of printed documents also allowing a shorter response time in criminal proceedings.
- Linking and comparing questioned documents to a single source of printing or group them into batches worldwide to fight and prosecute international operating criminal organisations.
- Combating and preventing arising threats, losses and harms caused by using counterfeited or manipulated single or sets of printed documents.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.andrupos.com.