Little Sparrows Technologies, a Boston-based medical device company, has introduced bili∙ruler, a tool to aid in the visual assessment of infant jaundice. The bili∙ruler is based on research by Dr. Anne CC Lee and the Global AIM Lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a part of the “Saving Lives at Birth” grant funded by USAID and the Gates Foundation. It is a validated, standardized device which uses modern color processing techniques and visual, human-centered design. The result is a versatile tool that can be used in the field to screen infant jaundice, even in remote locations without access to mobile networks or electricity.

Given the range of environments where the tool would be used, Little Sparrows Technologies was concerned about potential knockoff devices that could pose a high risk to patients. In particular, the company was seeking a solution for product authentication that did not require mobile phones or access to electricity. Little Sparrows Product Engineer Nolan Smith explains, “We wanted to reassure end users that they have an original and validated device without requiring an electronic device for authentication. We also wanted to dissuade bad actors from creating a facsimile and violating our intellectual property.”

To meet these challenges, Little Sparrows Technologies partnered with Fathom Optics. Fathom’s patented software process uses light field technology to bring 3D and motion graphics to printing securely, and without requiring special inks, substrates, or additional materials such as lenticular sheets or metallic foils. Fathom technology can be used to create a customized optically-varying (OV) authentication feature that looks visually unique relative to any other product in the market.

Fathom authentication features are generated for the specific press that they will be run on, further enhancing the security of the printed device. Fathom built its expertise in this regard by carefully characterizing many dozens of printing presses at various production sites to understand how the technology can robustly add depth, motion and chromatic effects to a wide range of print applications including prime labels, shrink sleeves, and point-of-purchase displays. Its authentication solutions are built upon experience gained in that process, which allows them to provide a more-secure authentication solution for firms like Little Sparrows Technologies.

According to Tom Baran, Fathom Optics CEO and co-founder, “When Little Sparrows Technologies came to us with this challenge, we knew they’d be interested in conveying the authenticity of their product using a customized design that was both distinctive and visually engaging but at the same time not too busy, and not ‘just metallic’. So, we got to work iterating with the team there who encouraged us to push the boundaries of the technology and of design, which was fantastic.”

To produce and integrate the optically-varying feature, Fathom and Little Sparrows Technologies partnered with Amherst Label, a family-owned converter that has operated for over 40 years in New Hampshire.

Little Sparrows Technologies provided Amherst with the product components, proprietary color strips which had been printed on a wide-format printer. Amherst applied the Fathom feature depicting a moving, stylized Little Sparrows Technologies’ logo, using a permanent adhesive on a layflat 2 mil polypropylene material. The feature itself was produced with 1-bit plate images that Fathom had developed specifically for the Little Sparrows Technologies feature, and that were produced nearby at Concord Engraving using MacDermid ITP60 plates. Amherst then die-cut the full ruler and it was finally encased in plastic.

Nye Hornor, president of Amherst Labels, says, “The best thing about the technology that Fathom has developed is that you get the ‘lenticular’ effect without the cost of using the true “lenticular” technology. Also, the ability to have a security feature or capability which makes a product unique is great to be able to offer to our customers and prospects.”

Smith concludes, “I would highly recommend Fathom Optics to any medical device company looking to improve their product’s security through custom-designed labels.”

Little Sparrows Technologies is one of many biomedical companies facing similar security challenges. Much has been reported about the counterfeiting of anti-malarials in Africa, and more recently about the counterfeiting of COVID certificates around the world. In both of these cases, the solution is not as simple as merely providing digital authentication such as a QR code, since scanning of these codes requires the availability of a connected device. This also requires overcoming the difficulties that can be associated with taking a scan in many social settings.

As the product is gearing towards international launch, preorders for the bili∙ruler have come from areas as diverse as Canada, Costa Rica, Ghana and Nepal. Little Sparrows Technologies is also seeking FDA clearance of the device to enable easier screening of jaundiced babies in the US, reducing the need for repeated blood testing for jaundice. With the current challenges posed by COVID-19, point-of-care screening tools such as bili∙ruler will help mothers and babies prevent unnecessary exposure from a hospital visit.