| May I lick the contract? | | | | nothing against chemical tracers. |
| The Chemical Signature is a simple concept: make | | | | It is also possible to sign in black (with subtle |
| your ink unique by mixing a new color and adding | | | | amounts of chemical tracers) and stamp in color. You |
| secret components. Even salt and sugar will do it. | | | | need a stamp to state that "This document is signed |
| Now, the custom ink could have been invented by | | | | / stamped with Custom Ink #123456". |
| Da Vinci, but without Internet it would have been | | | | Another problem would arise when you lose your pen |
| very hard to associate a person with its Own Ink. It | | | | or rubber stamping pad. Your ink can fall in the wrong |
| is possible now for everyone to have a custom ink, | | | | hands. However, it is easy to implement a reporting |
| adding safety to signatures and rubberstamps. The | | | | system such as the one that Credit Cards have. |
| ink is obtained by mixing standard colors in different | | | | Is this document radioactive? |
| proportions. As a first step in validation, the colors | | | | As a matter of fact, yes. If you are reading this in |
| are shown in a website, under a code.The additional | | | | paper, it will be less radioactive than a computer |
| components that add safety to the OwnInk system | | | | monitor, but it still has a background radiation. |
| are substances that are easy to detect, if you know | | | | The ink can have radioactive components that are |
| what you are looking for. If you do not, you need a | | | | easy to identify and measure. However, if they stay |
| multimillion dollar lab and many hours of expert | | | | below certain limits, no authority will complain. |
| chemists or biochemists. To know some of the | | | | Alternatively, some biological components can be |
| secret components, the validator needs to register in | | | | added for extra safety and easy detection by a |
| a website. More components mean more safety | | | | biochemical lab. DNA or saliva could be good options, |
| levels, and more requirements for validators. | | | | but the company providing such an ink would be liable |
| What is wrong with the $1 ball pen? | | | | for handling hazardous materials. However, many |
| In these times of digital signatures, nobody pays | | | | biochemicals are safe enough to be included in the ink. |
| attention to ink signatures, which are still made as in | | | | Fluorescent, magnetic and particulate components are |
| the Middle Ages, but move billions of dollars every | | | | also possible. |
| hour. Ink signatures in paper will probably stay around | | | | The letter is a worthless lie, but the ink is $890 |
| until we extinct all the forests. | | | | Who is going to profit from the chemical signature? |
| However, when handwriting analysts mention | | | | The banks will save money in graphoanalysts and |
| technology, they mean a magnifying glass. No | | | | forged checks. Validator entities will earn from the |
| changes have appeared in the way we sign and in | | | | simple and profitable chemical analysis. Resellers of |
| how the signatures are verified. On the other hand, | | | | the ink kits, pen makers and gift shops will also have |
| criminals have now scanners, graphic software and | | | | a bite. |
| check software, enabling them to easily falsify any | | | | It is not clear how will Notaries perform when the |
| rubber stamp or signature, no matter how | | | | rules of their business get turned upside down. Some |
| complicated. | | | | will join the innovation and take advantage of it, while |
| As a result, attempted check fraud in US banks | | | | others will see their business disappear. Scam artists |
| surpassed $4.32 billion in 2001, doubling for the 2nd | | | | will certainly spend thousands in chemistry courses |
| time in 4 years (American Bankers Association | | | | and lab equipment. |
| Deposit Account Fraud Survey Report). | | | | The product can be segmented into several price |
| Not only banks need to verify signatures: notaries, | | | | ranges. The simplest custom ink with few |
| universities, governments and those who face the | | | | components and little guaranty will cost about $5, |
| globalized economy. And still, they rely on visual | | | | while the ultra-secure variety with a golden pen will |
| examination to compare signatures. | | | | go over 800. |
| You can sign in any color, as long it is black. | | | | Beyond all the safety issues, there is a powerful |
| There are a few obstacles for the Chemical | | | | reason for the Chemical Signature to succeed: the |
| Signature. For instance: Will Notaries accept signatures | | | | impulse of people to affirm their personality, to be |
| with Customized Safety Ink?. Probably not, because | | | | fancy and original. |
| the law favors Black. One reason is that light blue is | | | | Sergio Samoilovich |
| bad for xeroxing, but there is nothing wrong with | | | | OwnInk. |
| other colors. Maybe the law can change. And there is | | | | |