In Pakistan, interest in holography is gaining momentum, fuelled by advances in digital technology, expanding internet accessibility, and a growing recognition of its potential for innovation across various sectors. The article explores a few recent developments.

In response to the alarming rise in counterfeiting incidents in India and the pressing need to bridge the gap between academic research and the anticounterfeiting industry, the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) joined hands with Reinforce Intellectual Property Association (RIPA) for an awareness program.

As sustainability takes centre stage in boardroom discussions, industry stakeholders are implementing innovative eco-friendly initiatives. This article highlights some of the key developments shaping the path towards a greener future.

Crane NXT has signed a definitive agreement with De La Rue to acquire its authentication business for £300 million, subject to customary adjustments.

Morphotonics is a leader in large-area nanoimprinting, a technology that allows for the mass production of nano-lenses. The company is experiencing a growth spurt at the moment, and, as this article shows, while the techniques used by Morphotonics will be familiar to developers of optical security devices, the applications may not.

As part of its ongoing strategy to broaden its scope and realign its identity to better serve evolving markets and new technology frontiers, the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has initiated a renaming process. This marks a pivotal moment for the association as it continues to evolve alongside the holography and optical security industries.

OpSec Security and SAKATA INX Corporation, a provider of performance products, have announced the launch of a new company called SAKATA Brand Solutions (SBS) Co. Ltd.

At the recent Global Currency Forum (GCF) in Oman, industry players showcased new security threads on themes ranging from butterflies, chameleons, meadows, and ocean to Venus.

API Foilmakers, an Aldus Company, has officially announced the launch of a new company—API Transfer Technologies (ATT).

Reconnaissance, publishers of Holography News™ and organisers of the High Security Printing™ (HSP) conferences, has announced that registration is now open for the upcoming HSP Asia event, scheduled for 2-4 December 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand. Reconnaissance will announce the program details soon.

In the July month issues of Holography News™, we covered Japan’s new banknote series, all three featuring holographic portraits. In the August issue, we covered Morocco’s 50 dirham banknote featuring a TRILUMIC® thread from Hueck Folien and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) commemorative $50 featuring a hologram.

In recent years, quantum physics has revolutionised various fields, from computing to cryptography. Now, holography is entering the quantum world, introducing the concept of quantum holograms that not only allow secure communication but could also improve medical imaging.

Researchers at Bilkent University in Turkey have advanced the field of nanotechnology through the application of holographic techniques to fabricate nanostructures deep inside silicon wafers.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) patent newsletter provides crucial insights to its members. In the July 2024 edition of the patent newsletter, over 90 patents were featured, highlighting the latest advancements in the evolving field of holography, which spans security, display technologies, and scientific tools. The articles explain the patent landscape.

Sweden-based biotech company Phase Holographic Imaging (PHI AB) will now be trading on the US OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB: PHIXF), in addition to its primary listing on the Swedish Spotlight market. The OTCQB is the mid-tier over-the-counter (OTC) equity market, which lists primarily early- stage and developing companies in the US and international markets.

VividQ has recently raised an additional $7.5 million in Series A funding, bringing the company’s total funding to over $30 million. The funding round was led by Foresight Group LLP and included new investors such as GameTech Ventures, NY-based Ruttenberg Gordon Investments (RGI), and existing investors.

The emergence of AI has marked the dawn of a new chapter in human history, enabling the generation of text, images, and videos from simple text prompts without requiring prior artistic or technical skills. Recent research shows that holographic technologies can also benefit from advances in AI.

XRD Nano (XRD), a technology company based in the UK, is driving breakthrough innovations in the world of UV replication, focusing on nano and microstructures. Its solutions are being recognised globally, particularly in holographic packaging, transfer films, brand protection labels, shrink sleeves, security documents, and functional films. This article explores the key innovations from XRD that are transforming these industries.

Morgan Adhesives Company (Mactac®), a Lintec subsidiary, has introduced its new label material, rainbow holographic polypropylene, as part of its precise program.

Following the new (EU) Regulation 2023/2055, which took effect on 17 October 2023, bioglitter might become the only sparkling powder available in Europe. The regulation restricts the sale of products containing intentionally added microplastics, including non-biodegradable plastic glitter; however, it allows exceptions for biodegradable, soluble, or natural glitter. This opens the door for eco-friendly alternatives like cellulose-based or mineralbased glitters and holographic biodegradable glitters.

As part of Malaysia’s pilot initiative to implement standardised national number plates, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan – JPJ) have officially launched the JPJePlate system. The rollout begins with electric vehicles (EVs), and the system is expected to expand to other vehicle categories.

Yu-Mei Tsai has had an impressive 15-year career at K Laser, starting as a special assistant to the CEO and eventually transitioning to Marketing Director. Her global experience and media communications background have significantly contributed to her success.

Austrian-based film and foil specialist Hueck Folien is taking a number of steps to put its products at the forefront of sustainability and reach its goal of ecologically neutral production by 2035. This article describes two of those steps.

Recent advances in holography have enabled significant progress in molecular biology, particularly in the culture and study of primary cells. A new study by Prof Li Fei and Zheng Hairong from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) and Prof Mao Yilei and Yang Huayu from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital introduces an innovative approach using holographic acoustic tweezers (HAT) for culturing primary mouse liver cells (hepatocytes).

As identity document forgery becomes increasingly sophisticated, the need for advanced security features in polycarbonate ID documents has become more critical. One such innovation is Flow Print, an optically variable security feature designed to combat sophisticated attempts at document fraud.

De La Rue has announced its full year results for the period ending 30 March 2024, with its Authentication division achieving record sales of £103.2 million. This figure surpasses the division’s £100 million target, and represents a 12.5% increase over 2023. The results are, however, overshadowed by a £235 million loan that becomes payable next July.

Since physical documents such as national passports remain the root of trust for establishing identities, it is paramount to stay well ahead of counterfeiters. Advanced diffractive optically variable image devices (DOVIDs) have emerged as crucial components in securing identity documents against counterfeiting and manipulation.

Dana – based in Neu-Elm in Germany and a leading provider of vehicle parts – now provides buyers of its Victor Reinz® brand products with effective protection from product piracy and counterfeits.

In last month’s issue of Holography News™, we covered Japan’s new banknote series, all three notes in which feature holographic portraits.

At the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) 2024 conference held in Lisbon earlier this year, Dr Sajan Ambadiyil from the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT), Government of Kerala, India, unveiled a new liquor tax stamp, the THTT (Taggant, Hologram, Track and Trace). The THTT represents a significant advancement in the State Excise Department’s efforts to combat illicit trade and protect excise revenue within the liquor industry.

As was evident by the number of booths displaying augmented reality (AR) glasses and AR head-up displays (HUDs) at CES 2024, the two technologies are set to make a big impact in the consumer electronics market. These cutting-edge technologies share many similarities, but also exhibit distinct differences. A recent blog post by UK-based Envisics1 compares and contrasts the two technologies, with particular focus on their use of holographic optical elements (HOEs).

On 3 July 2024, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) issued a new series of banknotes carrying holographic portraits. In the first design change in 20 years, the 10,000, 5,000, and 1,000 yen bills contain what appears to be a different stereographic portrait.

Following the news that Meta Materials had laid off 80% of its workforce and was looking for buyers of the business (see HN June 2024), a filing at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission states that it has agreed to sell most of its authentication business assets (Nanotech Security Corporation, or NCS) to security solutions provider Authentix for $10 million, excluding certain assets such as cash and real estate.

Reconnaissance International is already preparing for The Holography Conference™, which will take place this year online from 12 to 13 November. The Call for Papers is now open, and delegates are invited to submit a proposal by 13 September (holographyconference.com/call-for-papers/).

In last month’s issue, we reported a few holographic sustainable innovations showcased by industry players at Luxe Pack New York, held in May.

Holographic projection startup Swave Photonics (a new Imec and VUB spin-off) has announced its development of the world’s first 3D holographic display technology for compact extended reality (XR) form factors like smart glasses. Swave’s Holographic eXtended Reality (HXR) establishes a new advanced display technology, producing the world’s smallest pixel with a pixel pitch of less than 300nm – small enough to steer light and sculpt high-resolution images.

As the boundaries between holography and other 3D imaging technologies become increasingly blurred, we take a look at one technique where it is the light that is blurred to give higher quality 3D printed optical components.

Ceres Holographics, in collaboration with Eastman Chemical Group, a renowned name in chemical solutions, has unveiled the industry’s first fully integrated windshield featuring multiple holographic optical elements (HOEs) inside a single laminate construct.

Covestro – a leading polymer materials and chemicals producer – has announced that it has entered into formal negotiations with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for a potential transaction value of nearly €14.4 billion. Discussions first began last year, but have now moved to the next stage following an increase in ADNOC’s offer from €60 to €62 per share.

A research team from Japan, including scientists from Hitachi, Kyushu University, RIKEN, and HREM Research, has achieved a significant breakthrough in observing magnetic fields at unimaginably small scales.

All4Labels Global Packaging Group has marked a significant milestone with the opening of its first plant in northeast Brazil, situated in the João Pessoa metropolitan region, bringing the the country’s total number of All4Labels plants to 12.

My name is Chander S Jeena, and I am honoured to introduce myself as the new Editor of Holography News® (HN).

Optical technologies, including holograms, continue to garner global accolades of , recently winning several awards at different events. From high-security applications to packaging, the technology is once again demonstrating its diverse range and colour in securing the world’s best brands, documents and banknotes.

For 60 years, high-energy pulsed lasers have made it possible to create incredibly lifelike portraits of living individuals in just a few nanoseconds. The original transmission master hologram (H1) was then replicated to produce a second reflection hologram (H2) at a 1:1 scale, offering limited full parallax and visible with white light.

Researchers are one step closer to a new era of immersive displays as they use holography to blend the real and virtual worlds that can be viewed through ordinary eyeglasses. This advance, spearheaded by Princeton University researchers and reported on the university website, promises to revolutionise how we experience visual media.

De La Rue, a longstanding Microsoft partner, has recently signed a five- year renewal contract to provide authentication products to Microsoft’s OEM, Retail, and Xbox channels. The company has been fulfilling this role for several years. Under the agreement, De La Rue will continue to deliver solutions to Microsoft’s partners worldwide.

Market experts say the demand for sustainable solutions in the US is growing because of regulatory pressures and brands looking to reduce packaging weight while keeping the product secure and aesthetically appealing. Experts see high demand for cold foil in the US market, as the technology enables them to be competitive and deliver good results regarding metallised décor.

On 20 July 1969, more than 500 million people worldwide watched the Moon landing, the ‘great leap for mankind’ – a technical feat that opened new horizons for humanity.

Following the increasing incidence of fake certificate attestation, NoRKA-Roots, the field agency of the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA), which acts as an interface between the Non-Residents of Keralites (NoRKs) and the Government of Kerala, has introduced a new hologram-embedded adhesive label for the attestation of certificates of candidates from the Indian state.

Reconnaissance International – the leading global source of business intelligence on currency, identity, authentication and traceability – has unveiled a new industry reference glossary.

Meta Materials, a materials and nanotechnology specialist that acquired the security features company Nanotech Security Corp in 2021, has announced an 80% workforce reduction, citing challenges with liquidity and securing additional financing. It is understood that most of the workforce of over 100 has already been let go.

Crescent Regional Hospital (CRH) in Lancaster, Texas, has become the first hospital in the US to use Holobox holographic technology from Holoconnects to connect remote patients.

As the popular use of the term ‘holography’ to describe phenomena other than wavefront reconstruction continues to expand in terms of popular use, this article illustrates, with examples, the difference between two such phenomena.

Nestled among seven hills overlooking the Tagus River, Portugal’s vibrant capital city, Lisbon, hosted the Optical & Digital Document Security™ 2024 conference from 8-10 April.

Ceres Holographics is hoping to disrupt current technology in the automotive display industry with what it claims to be the world’s first in-plane heads-up display (HUD), featuring multiple transparent displays on a single windshield.

Reconnaissance International, publisher of Holography News® (HN), is delighted to announce the appointment of Chander S Jeena as the new editor of HN.

Pearl Group, a global leader in polyurethane insulation solutions, has launched new tamperproof labels with holograms and drum-specific QR codes across its entire product range.

HoloSurge, a consortium of 14 European technology and health leaders, has clinched €8.9 million in research and innovation grants, one of the most significant in recent EU history.

Dr Mark Deakes, chair of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), says holography is crucial in protecting intellectual property (IP) rights in the modern era.

Global materials manufacturer Nitto Denko Corp (headquartered in Japan) has announced the acquisition of an undisclosed stake in TruLife Optics (headquartered in the UK), which specialises in the design, prototyping, mass production, and integration of holographic optical elements (HOEs) for wearable augmented reality devices.

The Karnataka State Transport Department will enforce hologram- based high-security registration plates (HSRPs) on over 14 million vehicles, starting 1 June 2024, after missing two initial deadlines.

Combining their knowledge of banknote security, Hueck Folien and Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW) have developed and produced a new test note with a beautiful underwater theme: ‘Corals’.

One of India’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Mankind Pharma, endorses holograms and blockchain as significant tools to combat falsified medicines.

Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs), devices that convert electrical signals into modulated light, enable a range of applications in optical imaging, information processing and communications. Now, improvements in the technology are leading a company based in Leuven, Belgium to new applications in holography.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a full-colour 3D display method that utilises a smartphone screen rather than a laser to create holographic images. With further development, the new method can be used for augmented reality displays.

From 1 May to 30 June, visitors to the ‘Vintage Lasers and Holograms’ exhibition in Tempe, Arizona will have the opportunity to delve into the evolution of lasers, and the role they played in the academic and commercial evolution of holography.

Few overt security devices have been deployed as widely and successfully as security holograms – or DOVIDs (Diffractive Optically Variable Image Devices), to be more precise and inclusive.

Researchers at KTU (Kaunas University of Technology) Institute of Material Science in Lithuania have developed a new method to produce holographic security labels combining dot-matrix and e-beam.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), which 20 years ago launched the Hologram Image Register (HIR) – often described as the ‘jewel in the crown’ for the trade body – has recently expanded the register to incorporate all optically v variable security images. The result is the Security Image Register (SIR), the only database of its kind for the security community, which safeguards copyright and helps deter attempt to copy security images, inadvertently or otherwise.

Holography, long admired for its ability to capture and replay large amounts of optical information, is now breaking new ground in neuroscience, promising fresh insights into brain function and communication.

Reconnaissance International has announced that the 2024 Holography Conference Online (THCO) will be held on 12-13 November. The call for papers is now open and delegates are invited to submit a proposal to present by 13 September 2024.

Idvac Ltd, based in Manchester, UK, has introduced an innovative method for creating bespoke gold colour metallised films, completely free from pigments, inks, or dyes.

In this most recent roundup of the use of holography in various healthcare settings (see also HN April 2021, July 2022, and September 2022), we report on two current innovations in the field of patient care.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has announced a new chair and board members as it expands its operations.

Supplier of hot-stamping machinery, Gietz, has announced it has invested strategic venture capital in the Netherlands-based Vinfoil in order to strengthen the long- term stability of the company and its product portfolio.

Vinyl records have experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years, fuelled by a renewed appreciation of analogue sound quality and tangible music experiences. Amidst this resurgence, IQ Structures has unveiled an innovation in vinyl record production: IQ Vinyl.

Following the launch of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association’s expanded Security Image Register (SIR) in January, a proposal was made to extend membership criteria and amend the IHMA articles of association to encompass all security OVD (optical variable device) suppliers. This has now been unanimously adopted.

US-based Crane NXT, whose subsidiaries include Crane Currency, Crane Authentication and Crane Payment Innovations, has announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Investcorp Technology Partners to acquire OpSec Security for $270 million in cash, subject to customary adjustments.

A team of researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea, led by Prof Junsuk Rho and PhD candidate Joohoon Kim, have announced a major breakthrough in the development of angle-dependent holographic displays that could redefine human interaction with digital information. The technology allows holograms to display multiple images based on the observer’s viewing angle.

In June 2022, after the closure of Hologram Industries Research GmbH, a new company – Phoenix Holographix GmbH – was formed close to Munich, Germany.

Smart Engines, an AI developer, has unveiled an enhanced version of its AI system designed to detect forged documents, with a particular emphasis on holographic protection. The new technology allows for the rapid extraction of data from passports and ID cards while simultaneously verifying their authenticity. What sets this system apart is its ability to perform document verification in real-time video streams.

The International Hologram Manufacturer’s Association (IHMA) is stepping up its presence in China in a move to boost growth and promote the technology’s benefits to brand owners, government authorities and sector suppliers.

A team of scientists from Nanjing University and Tianjin University in China, and the National University of Singapore, have developed a novel method for controlling the polarisation of light using liquid crystal (LC) holography.

As the number of stars and celebrities whose holopresence has been posthumously captured continues to increase, Holography News® reports on two famous performers that have recently been immortalised in light. And one that is on the brink.

Holography has long tantalised scientists and engineers with its promise of creating immersive, lifelike 3D representations of real scenes.

The People’s Bank of China (PBC) has issued a 20 yuan commemorative legal tender banknote to celebrate 2024’s Lunar Year of the Long (Chinese Dragon), which began on 10 February. 100 million notes have been printed, with purchasers limited to 20 notes each.

Uflex is India’s largest multinational working in flexible packaging materials. It is a global polymer science company with a turnover of $1.7 billion, and is one of India’s leading providers of holographic solutions used in brand protection, brand enhancement and anti-counterfeiting across a range of industries.

IQ Structures, a research and manufacturing organisation focused on controlled nanostructures, has started using artificial intelligence (AI) to support its creative staff during the design of its DOVIDs (diffractive optically variable image device).

Cambridge-based 3D tech start-up VividQ has announced the launch of real holograms projected through high-performance 4K display hardware. The ability to deliver ‘retina resolution’ type computer- generated holograms means that next-generation VR headsets will be able to offer unparalleled levels of immersion and realism to users.

Filtrona Tapes has released Supastrip Prism, a new range of holographic tear tapes designed to enhance packaging security and draw attention on the shelf.

In a previous article covering the use of holography in teaching and education (see The Holographic Classroom, HN June 2023), we followed the technology’s early applications in representing 3D objects to its integration into mixed reality. In this article, we delve deeper into one particular application, AI holographic avatars in the lecture theatre.

Lighting has long been acknowledged as a key element in shaping the atmosphere of any event, and recent advances in technology have brought innovative approaches to transform spaces into captivating 3D experiences.

In a ground-breaking departure from conventional fingerprint analysis, recent research introduces a shift in thinking through the collaboration between Penn State and Prof Partha Banerjee of the University of Dayton.

Each year, the CES conference in Las Vegas unveils cutting-edge holographic technologies, and CES 2024 was no exception. The exhibition, which is probably the most influential tech event of the year, took place 9-12 January, in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

Following the expansion of the secure registry of holographic images and its relaunch as the Security Image Register (SIR) last month, the IHMA has announced it will be holding a webinar focusing on the SIR and its benefits for suppliers and their customers on 17 April.

Professor Emeritus at the University of Rochester, Brian J Thompson, passed away on 27 January 2024 at the age of 91.

The Optical & Digital Document Security™ Conference (ODDS) 2024, set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal 8-10 April, promises an in depth look into the latest advancements in optical and digital document security.

Developments in new anti-counterfeit technologies will help support the growth of holograms in 2024, according to Dr Paul Dunn, chair of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).

In the realm of optical technology, a new process is emerging that uses ultrathin plasmonic metasurfaces, capable of simultaneously enabling full-colour printing and holography on a centimetre scale. These metasurfaces leverage photonic spin– orbit interactions excited by surface plasmon polaritons (SPP), opening the door to a new era of high-security applications and mass-produced optical devices.

In this series of articles using source material from historical and current issues of Holography News® (HN), along with a few other contextual sources, I have so far covered the development of commercial holography for use on banknotes, ID cards, head-up displays and the graphics arts industry. This month, I turn my attention to its use on financial cards.

In this episode of the Holograms on Banknotes series, we report on the latest issues from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), East Caribbean and Tonga.

The optics and optoelectronics giant ZEISS has launched its Multifunctional Smart Glass technology showcasing the equipment and processes for mass production.

OpSec, provider of holographic foils, IP management and brand protection solutions, and Investcorp Europe Acquisition Corp I, a special purpose acquisition company, have announced a strategic investment from SAKATA INX Corporation in the form of unsecured convertible loan notes issued by OpSec.

In a strategic move aimed at steering Gietz AG towards continued success and innovation, Hansjoerg Gietz, after years of service as Managing Director, has announced the transition of leadership to Marcel Gerber – currently serving as Engineering Director – with effect from 1 January 2024.

Idvac Ltd, based in Manchester, UK, has unveiled a ground-breaking method for fabricating bespoke multispectral colours using a layer- by-layer nano-etching process.

Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford and University College London have developed an advanced augmented reality (AR) holographic system that projects 4K video using LiDAR point clouds, specifically designed for automotive head-up displays.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has announced changes to its executive board as it invests in strengthening its position as a leading authority on commercial authentication, ID security and packaging augmentation technologies.

Hot from successes in the ‘Best Origination’ and ‘Best in Show’ categories at the recent International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) awards, Meta Materials is bringing its expertise in advanced materials and nanotechnology to the field of brand protection labelling, with its new product – NANO™ protect.