Conventional tamper-evident adhesive seals can be vulnerable to duplication or manipulation because verification often relies on visual inspection and printed identifiers. This technology enhances adhesive tamper-indicating seals with a passive embedded electronic feature that provides a measurable signature unique to each seal. Attempts to physically or thermally tamper with the seal can alter that signature, providing an additional means of detecting interference. The approach could strengthen security and authentication, as well as decrease inspection time, for organizations that rely on tamper-evident tags, labels, or seals.
Description
This technology incorporates a unique electronic structure within an adhesive anti-tamper seal to provide an additional layer of verification beyond conventional visual markings or serial numbers. The embedded structure produces measurable electrical characteristics that can serve as an identifying signature for an individual seal.
When the seal is subjected to certain forms of tampering, its electronic characteristics may change in a detectable manner. A user could evaluate the seal using an appropriate portable measurement device to determine whether its signature remains consistent with the expected value.
The technology is designed to be incorporated into common adhesive seal materials and could be produced using scalable digital manufacturing techniques. This approach may enable individual seals to possess distinct electronic signatures while maintaining the flexibility and tamper-evident characteristics required for practical use. The concept has been demonstrated using a modified commercially available tamper-indicating adhesive seal.
Benefits
- Adds an electronically verifiable layer of tamper detection
- Provides a distinctive measurable signature for individual seal authentication
- Enables detection of changes associated with physical or thermal tampering
- Supports integration with common adhesive tamper-evident seal formats
Applications and Industries
- Tamper-evident adhesive seals and security labels
- Authentication and integrity verification applications
- Organizations using anti-tamper tags or security seals
- Industries requiring additional protection against seal replication or manipulation
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email [email protected] or call 865-574-1051.
Researchers
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email [email protected] or call 865-574-1051.