Recent advancements in nanofabrication have demonstrated new possibilities for enhancing the design of optical security devices (OSDs) that display different images under various lighting conditions, including those combining colour printing with holography. However, the complexity of designing such devices and the challenge of scaling them up for real-world use remain significant hurdles.

Researchers from the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas and the University of Crete, both in Greece, have developed a groundbreaking optical encryption method that they claim achieves an outstanding level of security.

The Chinese Lunar New Year 2025 began on 29 January, marking the start of the Year of the Snake. While people and organisations celebrate this in various ways, Holography & Optical Technology News® focuses on a few innovative industry developments welcoming the year of the snake.

A European research team from Germany, the Czech Republic, and Belgium is developing an innovative imaging technology to visualise neuronal processes in living organisms with high precision.

CES® (short for the Consumer Electronics Show) is justifiably referred to as the most influential technology event in the world. It is the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. CES 2025 was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 7-10 January 2025.

Advances in optical security technologies are crucial in combating counterfeiting, particularly for government issued documents and banknotes. A recent development in this field is the creation of a high-numerical-aperture (NA) multilevel diffractive microlens array (MLA) that operates across multiple wavelengths.

The Supreme Court of India is considering making hologram-based, colour-coded stickers (HCCS) for vehicles mandatory nationwide. This comes amid growing concerns about pollution, with an increasing trend in the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi, the country’s capital. The court noted that of the approximately 2.7 million vehicles in Delhi, only 1.7-1.8 million had these HCCS, which are crucial for identifying vehicles using sub-par fuel on high-pollution days.

A team of researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in China, has developed a novel luminescent material with dynamic properties.

In last month’s edition of Holography News®, we explored how bio-inspired security threads, showcased at the Global Currency Forum in Oman, are translating the visual complexity of butterflies, chameleons, oceans, and meadows into security print features. From Louisenthal’s micro-mirror innovations to Kurz’s meadow-inspired threads, industry leaders demonstrated how themes from nature are creating new opportunities in optical security.

Taiwan, once known as ‘Garbage Island’, is now leading the example for many countries as a recycling leader. In 1993, from a collection rate for trash of just 70%, it now has an impressive recycling rate of 55% and recycles 73% of its plastic, thanks to its various policy measures. This article highlights a few from an industry perspective.