Year
2012
Abstract
We report on the performance of the 2011 Reflective Particle Tag (RPT) instrument system, designed to demonstrate the technology for field exercise or demonstration. It consists of three subsystems: a tag Reader with touchscreen interface, a tag Verifier with image analysis algorithms, and a tag frame with integral mechanical and optical alignment capability. An integral binary code tag ID automates tag image processing to eliminate inspector entry errors. The performance of both optical and mechanical alignment was evaluated with thousands of tag reading trials. The RPT is a field-applied tag and seal composed of specular hematite particles in an organic polymer matrix. When illuminated from different angles, each RPT presents complex patterns of millimeter-scale light reflections unique to the tag. These patterns are suitable as a means of physical authentication of the tagged item.