PIN on the Go

If you worry that one day someone will steal your credit card number, protection may be on the way. Swivel Technologies of Knaresborough, England, has developed a credit card system that generates a fresh, unpredictable number for every transaction

A user who registers with Swivel receives a four-digit personal identification number that can be used on a cell phone, computer, personal digital assistant or any other device equipped with Swivel's software. When this PIN is entered, the Swivel software generates a random 10-digit sequence that, in combination with the PIN, produces a unique one-time code; that code is transmitted to Swivel's server, which authenticates the transaction. Interception of the wireless signal would do a would-be thief no good, because the transaction code is generated anew each time. The Swivel system can be used with existing digital phones as well as those based on higher-bandwidth "third-generation" (3G) wireless technology. The patented system should be commercially available within two years.

Location, Location, Location

Anyone who's tried it knows: the Global Positioning System works great when you're finding your way back from the middle of nowhere. But in a crowded city, where satellite signals ricochet off buildings, the system isn't terribly accurate; relying on GPS may land you in the Hudson River rather than at the Empire State Building. South San Francisco, CA-based startup Enuvis has developed software that helps GPS cope with the urban jungle. Called UrbanGPS, the software includes algorithms that help units lock onto weak satellite signals, differentiate true signals from echoes and process more of the satellite signal faster. Enuvis has tested the technology in some of the world's toughest cities-including Tokyo, Seoul and San Francisco. Receivers using UrbanGPS were twice as accurate as standard units, giving position within 20 to 40 meters, according to company president Michael Kim. The company is marketing the software, which can run on simple microprocessors, to cellular carriers looking to provide location-based services such as enhanced directory assistance, traffic information, personal navigation and emergency assistance.

Original Proof

With today's sophisticated document scanners, color printers and photocopiers, counterfeiters can easily forge all sorts of official paperwork-even money. Researchers at the Palo Alto Research Center have developed a way to protect computer-printed documents from illicit duplication. The system puts a random pattern of bumps and ridges on the rollers that move paper through an ink-jet or laser printer. The rollers emboss the paper with a unique pattern, invisible to copiers and scanners, which is recorded in a database. Anyone needing to authenticate a document would run it through a special device that reads the embossing, then query the database. Inventor Tom Berson says PARC is looking for a company to license and commercialize the technology.