IOTA Honours Legacy and Leaders

The International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA) revealed the winners of its inaugural Excellence in Optical Technologies Awards – 2025 during a special ceremony held on 16 September at the Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference in Warsaw.

Sponsored by IOTA, the awards, which this year evolved from the longstanding Excellence in Holography Awards, now recognise achievements across a broader spectrum of optical security technologies.

Awards were made in seven categories, among them Best Disruptive Technology and Best Integrated Technology / Best Document Security Application. In addition, the Lifetime Achievement Award honoured individuals for their lifelong contributions to the advancement of holography, optical security, and the global fight against counterfeiting.

Best disruptive technology

The winner was China Banknote Printing Technology Research Institute (CBPRTI) for wireless-driven, ultra-thin, flexible OLED anti-counterfeiting components.

The component combines flexible display technology with the wireless communication capabilities of smartphones. It can be integrated into banknotes, passports, or product packaging to create a visible lightemitting security feature. Powered by a smartphone’s wireless reverse-charging module, the OLED display lights up when the phone’s transmitter antenna aligns with the component’s receiving antenna.