In the second new ID category, the Best New Technology award was presented to TOPPAN Security for CHROMA, a colour laser engraving personalisation solution enabling secure, full-colour portraits on polycarbonate passport datapages and ID cards.

CHROMA is a pure colour laser process that forms lifelike, high-definition images inside the polycarbonate structure, producing sharp, photo-realistic portraits with accurate skin tones and smooth tonal gradients without surface printing or added inks.

A single laser source addresses three colour channels—cyan, magenta and yellow—within a CHROMA-reactive polycarbonate layer integrated during lamination. Using a subtractive colour model and finely tuned laser parameters, the system can reproduce up to 16.7 million colours.

As the portrait is fully embedded below the surface, it removes consumables and avoids vulnerabilities associated with overlays or surface-printed colour images. The subsurface image is highly resistant to abrasion, tampering and environmental stress; attempts to peel or replace it irreversibly damage the polycarbonate body. A characteristic micro-line structure visible under 15× magnification adds a forensic control.

The technology complies with ICAO portrait standards while maintaining standard polycarbonate document thickness.