Research Project "SeManTiK" Investigates Latest Chip-Integration Technologies for Contactless Identity Documents

Neubiberg and Berlin, Germany – January 10, 2013 – What are the requirements for electronic identity documents to provide reliable functionality during their long term of validity? Experts from German printing office “Bundesdruckerei”, the semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies AG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM have teamed up in the research project "Secure and long-life eID applications for human-technology cooperation (SeManTik)" to find proper anwers. The project partners investigate reliable and new integration technologies as well as realistic models to test and predict the life span of identity documents.

Identity and travel documents are valid for a long period of time and must often withstand harsh conditions of daily usage. Therefore they have to be extremely robust and at the same time secure and reliable.

"Our goal is to develop multifunctional technologies for identity documents that will work without failure during a long period of time. In order to test the reliability of these technologies under realistic conditions we need new standardized testing procedures and simulation models which are investigated within the scope of the research project," explains Joachim Kloeser of Bundesdruckerei and overall project head of the research project.

"SeManTiK" provides us with new approaches to the qualitative evaluation and selection of existing, long-life electronic high security documents. We are now taking a major step toward reaching our common goal of being able to predict the required durability of these documents reliably in the laboratory. In doing so, we extend our competitive edge in Germany," says Peter Stampka, initiator and project manager of "SeManTiK" at Infineon Technologies.

The research project "SeManTiK" is being supported by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). As an associated partner, the Bundeskriminalamt (German Federal Criminal Police Office) is contributing its expertise in forensic and methodical analysis. Bayer Material Science is contributing its expertise in supporting materials to the research project.

About Bundesdruckerei

Bundesdruckerei GmbH in Berlin is one of the world's leading companies engaged in developing and supplying systems solutions for secure identification in the analogue and digital world. In addition to full-scale passport and ID card systems, the company supplies national and international customers in both the public and private sector with ID documents, high-security cards, document verification hardware and security software along with trust center and eID services. Bundesdruckerei also produces banknotes, postage and revenue stamps as well as electronic publications. With its subsidiaries BIS Bundesdruckerei International Services GmbH, D-TRUST GmbH, Maurer Electronics GmbH and iNCO Sp. z o.o., the Bundesdruckerei Group employs a staff of around 2,000 worldwide. In the 2011 financial year, the Group generated revenue of EUR 406.3 million. Bundesdruckerei is one of the founding members of the Fraunhofer innovation cluster "Secure Identity Berlin-Brandenburg" and also endows the "Secure Identity" chair at Freie Universität Berlin. For more information, go to: www.bundesdruckerei.de

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, mobility, and security. In the 2012 fiscal year (ending September 30), the Company reported sales of Euro 3.9 billion with close to 26,700 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).

About the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM)

As part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Fraunhofer IZM specializes in applied and industrial contract research with a focus on packaging technology and the integration of multifunctional electronics into systems. It has more than 300 employees and had revenues of 24 million euros in 2011. The five Fraunhofer IZM departments promote the development of internationally cutting-edge technology, monitor and investigate promising current and future trends and, together with industrial project partners, apply their energies to advance research with a focus on the future. More information at www.izm.fraunhofer.de

Press contacts

Alexandra Haberstroh
Stellvertretende Pressesprecherin Bundesdruckerei GmbH
Tel.:+49 (0) 30 - 2598 2810
E-Mail: alexandra.haberstroh@bdr.de

Karin Bräckle
Infineon Technologies AG
Manager Media Relations
Tel.:+49 (0) 89 - 234 23424
E-Mail: karin.braeckle@infineon.com

Georg Weigelt
Public Relations Fraunhofer IZM
Tel.:+49 (0) 30 – 46403-279
E-Mail: georg.weigelt@izm.fraunhofer.de