Managing Note Quality in the Field

With the growing adoption of note re-circulation processes and technology by commercial banks, it is becoming ever more difficult for Central Banks to assess the quality of notes in circulation.

Intelligent Currency Solutions has developed nWEAR, a solution that can easily be deployed in the field. The heart of the nWEAR system is a device independent software suite which takes raw captured images, determines banknote and denomination and uses advanced image processing techniques to assess the degree of note degradation, based on ink wear for polymer notes and soiling for paper notes.

The system can be supplied in various forms, for instance as a field set, comprising a laptop loaded with the nWEAR software system and a portable auto feed scanning device, fitted into a Pelicase for protection, making the system portable and easy to use in the field. Other configurations could include a higher speed image capture system.

In operation the system has been designed to facilitate user definition of note life assessment. New notes are used as reference samples to set up a “golden note” as the basis for assessment. The user can identify regions of interest (ROIs) on the note which can be weighted according to user defined criteria or circumstances, for instance the central fold area, window or portrait.

Results of the analysis along with images of each banknote are stored in the iBAR reporting solution where a comprehensive review can be undertaken by denomination, time, batch or series. Each note is categorised into a user defined wear level and a suite of reports are used to help evaluate wear characteristics, the impact of note handling technologies or specific social/cultural/geographical circumstances.

The facility to simply assess the quality of notes with this compact and portable solution will allow Central Banks to monitor the life cycle of their currency and ensure that national note quality standards are established and maintained.