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Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Let Colour Take the Strain

Imagine a material that doesn’t contain colour in the usual way—no dyes, no pigments—yet it is colourful. It can sweep smoothly from red to blue simply by being stretched and then snap back again when released.

Philippe Gentet

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Holography in Pocket: Turning iPhone Portraits into Full-Parallax 3D Images

Holography, once the domain of high-energy lasers and complex camera arrays, is now entering the realm of everyday consumer technology. A recent study published in Optics Letters demonstrates how a single smartphone – specifically, an iPhone 13 Pro – can be used to generate full-parallax holographic portraits, offering a low-cost and accessible alternative to traditional methods.

AR & VR

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

4 min read

From Documents to Pills: Malaysia’s Optical Security Blueprint

The 21st High Security Printing™ Asia (HSP-Asia), organised by Reconnaissance, took place in Kuala Lumpur 1-3 December 2025 and was the most successful event in its history (see HOT News December 2025).

Case Studies

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Turkmenistan’s Highest Denomination Goes with Optical Security

The Central Bank of Turkmenistan has unveiled a new series of banknotes, designed and printed by De La Rue on SAFEGUARD® polymer, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s recognition as a permanently neutral state. Included in the upgrade are the three lowest denominations – the 1, 5, 10 manats – along with a new high denomination 200 manat. The previous highest denomination was the 100 manat, and the series also includes 20 and 50 manats.

Banknotes

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Hong Kong Customs Confirms 99% Success in Holographic Duty Stamp Pilot

In October, Holography & Optical Technology News™ reported on Hong Kong Customs (HKC) launch of a three-month pilot programme for its new tobacco duty stamp system. The initiative involved holographic trial duty stamps on duty-paid cigarette packs to help prevent illegal trade and enhance tax compliance.

Tax Stamps

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

IOTA Membership Becomes More Valuable

Instantly access and analyse any documents, anywhere in the world, with DocCheck, a new member service for the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA). This powerful tool is available to IOTA members starting January 2026.

IOTA (IHMA)

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

HSP EMEA Heads to Morocco for the First Time

Reconnaissance, publisher of Holography & Optical Technology News™ and organiser of the High Security Printing™ (HSP) conference series, has confirmed that final preparations for HSP EMEA 2026 are underway, with registrations filling near capacity. The event will take place from 9-11 February 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, and registration will close soon.

Events

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Obsidian: All-Black Holographic Lottery Scratch Games

Scientific Games (SG), the world’s leading lottery company and a long-time pioneer in holographic instant scratch games, has unveiled Obsidian, its latest premium breakthrough in scratch game design.

Brand Protection

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

4 min read

Evolution from the Eye of Origination: Final Highlights from the IOTA Awards

The International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA) announced the winners of its inaugural Excellence in Optical Technologies Awards 2025 at the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) Conference in Warsaw, Poland (see HOT News, September 2025).

Awards

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

3 min read

Will HoloMem Make It Real?

Many efforts to use holographic storage for computer memory have fallen by the wayside, but the approach being taken by London-based HoloMem might finally see holograms used successfully as a means of archiving records efficiently while allowing rapid access.

Holographic Optical Element (HOE)

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Fly Out, Turtle In: Optiks Gives Way to Holographic Foil on Seychelles 500 Rupee

The Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) has introduced an upgraded version of its highest-value banknote, the 500 Seychellois rupee (SCR), replacing the superwide Optiks thread (which has now been discontinued as a security feature) with a holographic stripe. The new 500 rupee banknotes entered circulation in December 2025.

Banknotes

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

1 min read

Banknote Conference Coming in May

The Banknote Conference 2026 will take place 11-14 May in Washington DC. Even though the event is still months away, the organiser, Currency Research, has already shared details about six pre-event workshops and the first tranche of confirmed speakers, showing that a strong, technical program is planned.

Events

Chander S Jeena

22 Jan. 2026

1 min read

When Hologram Shortage Halts Emission Testing

Vehicle emission monitoring in Karnataka (India) has come to a standstill, with more than 400 Pollution Under Control (PUC) centres forced to shut due to a shortage of mandatory hologram stickers.

Case Studies

Chander S Jeena

21 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Q&T Hi-tech Continues Investment in Its Currency Security Arsenal

Hanoi-based Q&T Hi-tech Polymer continues to strengthen its position in polymer banknote production with the acquisition of a BOBST VISION K5 HS vacuum metalliser featuring AluBond® technology. The 1,350mm-wide system, scheduled for installation in early 2026, will be the company’s first in-house metallising line, marking a vital step in vertically integrating one of the most critical processes in high-security polymer banknote production.

Companies

Chander S Jeena

21 Jan. 2026

2 min read

Understanding the WOW Factor in Security Holography

As part of an initiative to define and categorise the visual characteristics that contribute to the ‘WOW factor’ in security holography, Reconnaissance International conducted a global survey of professionals involved in the specification, design, and assessment of holographic security features. The objective was to identify the attributes that are most effective in capturing attention and supporting document authentication across both ID documents and banknotes.

Holography

Chander S Jeena

16 Dec. 2025

1 min read

Montana Introduced New IDs

Beginning in December 2025, the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) introduced redesigned driver’s licences and ID cards to reduce fraud and identity theft.

ID & Secure Documents

Chander S Jeena

16 Dec. 2025

4 min read

News in Brief

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) has announced the development of a nanoimprint lithography (NIL) template with a circuit line width of 10 nanometres.

News

Chander S Jeena

16 Dec. 2025

2 min read

Authentix Launches Breakthrough Nano-Optic Plasmonic Feature

At the High Security Printing (HSP) Asia 2025 conference in Kuala Lumpur this month, Authentix unveiled PICO secure™, described as the world’s first nano-optic, plasmonic optical variable device (OVD) for polycarbonate identity documents. The feature – says Authentix – delivers always-on structural colour and movement, drawing on its award-winning nano-optic technology.

Nano-Optics Technical Features

Chander S Jeena

16 Dec. 2025

5 min read

HSP Asia 2025 Sets a New Benchmark in its 21-Conference Journey

The 21st edition of High Security Printing™ Asia (HSP Asia), held in Kuala Lumpur from 1-3 December 2025, delivered the strongest performance in the event’s history. The conference set a new benchmark for the series, attracting 337 delegates from 145 organisations across 51 countries, including 34 governments and central banks. It also raised the bar for high-quality presentations, strategic collaborations, and high-impact new product launches.

Events

Chander S Jeena

16 Dec. 2025

6 min read

Innovation Through Integration: Excellence in Product and Document Security

The International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA) announced the winners of its inaugural Excellence in Optical Technologies Awards 2025 during the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) Conference in Warsaw, Poland (see HOTN September 2025).

Awards

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