Identive’s Smartag Crypto Tags Offer Smart Card Security and Functionality in a Versatile Tag Format

Identive Group, Inc. announced its Smartag Crypto tag, a new RFID tag that offers all the functionality and encryption capabilities of a microcontroller smart card in a smaller and more flexible form factor.

Smartag Crypto incorporates a full-featured contactless smart card microprocessor with a large memory capacity and cryptographic capabilities, enabling the tag to be used in place of a smart card for a wide range of high-security and high-functionality applications. Smartag Crypto is the newest addition to Identive’s Smartag family of high performance RFID products.

“Our new Smartag Crypto tag provides customers with a versatile new option for ID credentials and other high-security applications needing increased processing, memory, or cryptographic capabilities. Just like a smart card, the tag has strong security to safeguard and manage personal information and privileges. Smartag Crypto’s small size and large memory make it ideal for traditional, mobile and future secure applications such as payment, network logon, physical access, transportation, digital signatures and authentication to e-health and e-government programs. Whether adhered to a mobile phone or embedded in a wristband or badge, Smartag Crypto also supports the growing trend towards mobile multi-application credentials,” stated Dr. Manfred Mueller, COO Identification Products for Identive.

“Identive’s proprietary, patented and patent-pending technology as well as advanced manufacturing made it possible to bring Smartag Crypto to market without the use of extra IC packaging or modules, while offering high reliability and durability,” Michael Kober, managing director of Identive’s Transponder business unit, added. “Multiple versions of the tag are already available, and early next year we expect to introduce a ‘peel and apply,’ convertible tag embedded within an ID1-sized card body, which will enable the tag’s production in standard card manufacturing and personalization environments.”

The new Smartag Crypto tag is immediately available as a market-proven sticker form factor based on Identive’s tag on metal (tom™) shielding technology, which is ideally suited for adhering to mobile devices. The Smartag Crypto tag is designed to support a range of market-leading contactless smart card ICs, enabling customers to choose the memory size, operating system and capabilities that best suit their application needs. Currently Smartag Crypto is available with NXP Semiconductors´ security-certified SmartMX PKI and Inside Secure’s contactless picopass ICs.