Electro-optic film – the end of shoplifting?

Gadgets
Share

You can have all the security you like, but someone is going to get a couple of DVDs in their pocket and out of the door. But what if stolen disc simply wouldn’t work? Wouldn’t that stop it dead? That’s what US-based Kestrel Wireless believe – and using electro-optic film, it believes it is possible.

So how does it work? Well, each disc has a coating of electro-optic film, which turns transparent via an electric pulse after an RFID chip inside the disc has authorised the process – when the disc has been sold in other words. The idea is being pitched at optical discs, but Kestrel believes any gadget or device could use it – as long as it has a display that can be obscured, making it unuseable. Because if it can’t be used, it’s not worth stealing.

If all that makes sense, here’s a spanner in the works. Firstly, everyone would need to use the kit – if they didn’t, that would mean manufacturing two sets of discs, which would only add to production costs.

Still an interesting idea though – and one that would certainly have good retailer support.

Kestrel Wireless

Via The Register

For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv


Discover more from Tech Digest

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.