But how good are they in actually keeping you and your personal information secure? And what happens if you don’t have a smartphone – or there is no network coverage where you are?

In this seminar Dr Alan Hodgson will address these questions – and more. He will take a critical look at smartphone technology, lifecycle and more to address the issue of whether we are becoming over-reliant on them in this new digital and virtual world.

He will start by analysing the broad landscape for smartphones in this new world, looking at political, economic, social and technical issues. Then he will get more specific about smartphone technology and security, covering topics such as the camera performance and its suitability for verifying optical features and 2D codes; and, because smartphones largely depend on connectivity to do their job, he will look into the security of networks and wifi systems.

The seminar will include case studies on the use of smartphones as a substitute for cash, as provers of our identity, for reading codes – where he will consider the different requirements of consumers and inspectors – as well as comparing smartphones with more specialist purpose-built devices.

In the later part of the seminar Dr Hodgson will consider emerging technologies, both those pertinent to smartphones and those that might compete with or usurp them.

What this will create is a seminar that addresses the fundamental issues of the balance between efficiency, convenience and security of smartphone solutions. It will ask are we right to become so dependent on them and if not what do we do about it; and where does control lie in the complex issue of electronic payment/identity/authentication? This is the issue that will be covered in a panel discussion that will close the seminar, which will be your chance to ask about these absolutely key matters.

This will be an important participatory seminar to kick off Optical & Document Security 2023, and vital for you to attend if you are active in optical or digital security of ID and transactions – especially if you are placing smartphones in the mix of security verification.

About Dr Alan Hodgson

Dr Alan Hodgson has a background in printing and holography, initially from the photographic industry and then with 3M in security printing. He now works as an independent consultant in the field of printing and imaging.

His interest in smartphones started with the early days of phone cameras and their photographic capabilities. As the smartphone platform developed into the multiple capabilities we see today he continued to study these, noting the trade-offs between capabilities and vulnerabilities and between threats and opportunities across a range of applications. This seminar will provide a summary of the learning on this journey.

Alan is a Visiting Academic in Material Science at the University of Manchester and an Expert Fellow to the SPRITE+ university collaboration which investigates Security, PRivacy, Identity and Trust Engagement in the digital space. Supporting these he is active in the field of International Standards for photography, printed electronics and wearable devices.

He is a contributing author to a number of the Reconnaissance International publications and has presented papers and courses at their events.