14 DAY TRIAL // Forged money is something that many crooks use, and which governments themselves employed as means to destabilize other countries' economies during wars. Yet, we may finally see the point where it becomes impossible to forge banknotes.
Researchers have developed the Laser Enabled Advanced Packaging method, or LEAP for short, which allows banking institutions and governments to integrate verification chips into coins and notes.
Since the chip is super-thin, it doesn't affect the thinness of the paper in any way. Previously, chips were too large, hence the reason they haven't been used before.
The ICs emit radio frequency IDs, which can be recognized by money counting machines, assuming said machines have been upgraded to detect such things.
If the idea gains wind, we have no doubt that banks and governments will be quick to handle the problem.
To make the chips small enough, a plasma etcher was used to thin them down, then laser beams were used to transfer them and embed antennas on the note.
Now we just have to hope that no one figures out how to forge the chips.
Source: BBC