UK company develops 3D barcode to protect against counterfeiting

BBC : To fight the ever-growing problem of counterfeiting, researchers in the UK have developed a three-dimensional barcode that could provide a more sophisticated way to mark food, electronics, medical implants, and motor vehicles than is currently available. It consists of a series of tiny indentations made by adjustable pins, each of which can be set at 36 different heights. Because they are so small, the indentations cannot be seen by the naked eye or felt by a finger. The four-pin prototype can generate 1.7 million codes. A proposed six-pin model with more height variations could produce 14 billion codes. Such a 3D barcode system is already being marketed to pharmaceutical companies because it could be easily incorporated into pills, which are produced by injection molding. And with the number of combinations possible, each individual pill could receive a unique code. Hospitals and pharmacies could then use a scanner to make sure the medications they dispense are genuine. Next, the researchers hope to find a way to apply the codes to metal surfaces, such as on watches.