Texas Instruments Enters Government ID Industry

  • Oct 09, 2007
To address the highly demanding requirements for secure identification documents, such as the electronic passport (e-passport), Texas Instruments  (TI) recently announced it is applying core capabilities in contactless and power efficient microcontroller technologies along with advanced embedded memory for next generation government identification products that deliver greater speed, performance, and productivity in issuance and use to customers.

TI's contactless smart integrated circuit (IC) platform will offer an improvement over today's government ID chip technology by enabling fast and accurate production, personalization and processing of government-issued electronic ID documents. Powered by an advanced memory technology, it will feature extremely fast write and read times as well as increased memory capacity and processing performance to accommodate the required security and future data storage requirements.

"The government ID customer has ever-increasing security and memory requirements and the user experience requires fast RF performance," said Julie England, vice president of Texas Instruments. "TI has focused on solutions that are highly optimized and low power, coupled with extraordinary contactless RF performance. We want to bring those strengths to customers in the ID market."

The government electronic ID market is gaining momentum as traditional citizen ID documents transition to higher levels of security using embedded smart chips. Contactless technology is a key component of this evolution.

In its September  report, "Contactless Government Identification Documents," ABI Research states that the total market for contactless e-passport transponders is set to grow to nearly $190 million by 2012, while the total market for contactless e-ID documents is expected to reach nearly $1 billion by 2012. With several national ID card programs underway in Europe and Asia, contactless-enabled national ID cards are expected to grow to approximately $750 million by 2012.

Most of the current government ID smart ICs are based on legacy technologies which filled an immediate need for secure electronic ID in first generation government ID applications.

However, some countries, including the United States, are already looking for significantly faster write speeds to create and process documents more quickly. According to the  Department of State, U.S. e-Passport issuance is expected to grow rapidly from 12.1 million in 2006 to 17 million by the end of 2007. With such volume demands, the need for accuracy and efficiency in production and post-issuance processes is critical. Other advanced market requirements for next generation products include enhanced memory capacity to support future security requirements such as additional biometrics.

TI's contactless smart platform for the next generation of government ID will employ an advanced embedded memory technology, called FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), which improves the speed and reliability of future smart, secure e-passports and government ID documents.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.