Smartrac And Suku To Authenticate COVID-19 Tests And PPE with NFC, Blockchain

According to a recent release, Smartrac and blockchain startup SUKU have together launched a digital verification solution designed to authenticate COVID-19 testing kits and personal protective equipment (PPE). The NFC-powered platform reportedly enables instant verification of authenticity and provides end-to-end supply chain transparency.

By equipping COVID-19 test kits and PPE with Smartrac’s CIRCUS NFC tags, the solution utilizes Avery Dennison’s Digital Identity Platform to feed tag data to SUKU’s blockchain-based supply chain application. The data from the mobile engagement then confirms the authenticity and provenance of the tagged product, reassuring customers and ultimately increasing trust. Customers can also view their purchase price of PPE compared to the global average, providing transparency to help in the fight against price gouging.

“By combining Avery Dennison’s Digital Identity Platform and Smartrac’s NFC technology with SUKU, we are enabling true transparency for users of COVID-19 testing kits and PPE. Pairing each physical item with a unique digital identity enables visibility of where the items are being distributed, helping healthcare providers, governments and consumers make better, faster decisions based on access to real-time data,” said Francisco Melo, VP and GM, Avery Dennison Intelligent Labels. Smartrac is a division of Avery Dennison.

“As providers around the world are working to quickly expand the availability of PPE and tests for COVID-19, it's important to build technology that's easy to adopt. Our goal is to offer a simple solution that doesn't require complex systems integration, providing the right transparency, provenance, supply availability, and real-time data needed using NFC tags enabled by the SUKU Blockchain,” said Yonathan Lapchik, CEO, SUKU.