Welcome to LASSeO: Helping to deliver electronic services for the public sector using the full potential of smartmedia

Calling all NHS trust visitors...

We understand that a number of you are looking at the implications of access control and other functions coexisting on the same smartcards.  We have had some direct contact with trusts and will be working up some general advice on the subject.  If you would like to get involved in this please email us at info@lasseo.org.uk 

LASSeO was 9 years old in March 2011 - that's nine years of giving free advice to the public sector. 

Thanks to all of our friends for helping to make this possible.

Our mission is to ensure that the full potential of smartmedia is harnessed in the delivery of public sector electronic services for the benefit of all UK citizens.

We aim to do this by defining and monitoring interoperability standards, specifications and frameworks across all platforms, issuers, services, and environments.

LASSeO assists local authorities and the wider public sector by helping to reduce the risks caused by a lack of agreed standards and specifications.

We support nationwide adoption of smartmedia standards and specifications to maximise the benefits and to encourage interoperability.  To this end, LASSeO has been highly successful in creating specifications that enable Transport applications to co-exist with Citizen, Health and Campus card functions.

With the support of leading experts from all sectors, we share knowledge, enthusiasm and experience through information-packed papers, useful links and regular meetings.

Meetings

These bi-monthly meetings are usually held in London and are deliberately non-technical.  We are very keen to see representatives of the public sector getting engaged as they are the client base that we are trying to satisfy. 

You may not understand the difference between a Mifare and a DESFire card but we do.  You will understand your business problem and that is the key issue.  We have the technical understanding and the experience to help you to make the best decisions and to reduce your risk.  You just need to come along and talk to us. 

It is free!  There are no catches - LASSeO is run through widespread support from the industry and occasional project funding. Our most important desire is to get more public sector players involved in our activities and along to our meetings. 

So, if we can help you or you can help us, just make contact. 

LASSeO is building its registered user database - Anyone downloading any material from the LASSeo site is encouraged to email info@lasseo.org.uk so that we can pass on updates and other information. 

LASSeO Specifications:

The following specifications and guidance notes are available:

  • LASSeO/ITSO Desfire specifications  - see publications section
  • Guidance is available for encoding DESFire  - see publications section
  • LASSeO/ITSO Mifare 1k & 4k specifications - see publications section 
  • LASSeO specification for 8k DESFire cards - LASSeO has reviewed its specifications for DESFire cards and is happy to confirm that no changes are required to cater for 8k DESFire cards.  In order to avoid any doubt, the LASSeO DESFire specification may be applied to DESFire cards of 4k capacity and over.    

Accessibility issues:

LASSeO is heavily involved in developing and deploying standards that make it easier for all citizens to access electronic services.  It owns the rights to a product named SNAPI and has recently completed a Technology Strategy Board funded project 

LASSeO/SNAPI TSB project

  • The LASSeO/Unicard TSB project to develop SNAPI to demonstrate the usefulness of this software tool in personalising the interface between citizen and machine is now complete.  For the final report see the SNAPI website www.SNAPI.org.uk or directly from TSB SNAPI Project final report 

Collaboration Nation: TSB project event featuring LASSeO & SNAPI

 Technology transfer for assistive and accessible ICT systems

 Higher and further Education

  •  Higher Education HESCA presentations from LASSeO and Smartran may be seen here

Department of Work and Pensions

  • DWP review of smartcard schemes in local authorities now available
  • A research report by RS Consulting for DWP providing an interesting trip down memory lane and an insight into a select group of LA card schemes

Where to next? 

NFC and Mobile service access: 

LASSeO is always looking forward and is presently interested in investigating the need for specifications for the public sector use of NFC/Mobile solutions for service access.   We welcome any views on this subject area and ask interested parties to contact us.

Development of ISO 7816-4 processor card specification

We are presently starting to develop a specification using ISO 7816-4 and would welcome involvement from any interested parties.   If you want to get involved please contact us.

Acceptable read ranges for cards and other media

We have become interested in acceptable read ranges for cards and other media.  We are developing a guidance note which will be published in the near future.  If you have any input to offer, please contact us.

Keep up-to-date on the latest Smartcard events and news.

Next LASSeO meeting scheduled for 10.30 2nd February 2012 at Millbank House, No 1 Millbank, Westminster 

Agenda:  to be developed - items for agenda welcomed

LASSeO Chairman's article in eurotransport news (www.eurotransportmagazine.com) 

December 2011: Covers the importance of the customer experience when using cards and in particular the use of SNAPI

LASSeO and Cabinet Office Transparency Strategy.

LASSeO was involved in consultations leading to the data release proposals announced by the Government as part of the Autumn Statement.

 “The Cabinet Office has been working on behalf of Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, for the last 4 months on these measures in conjunction with industry and other government departments. This is the latest step in our ambition to makeUKthe most transparent government in the world. These measures will help to make travel easier, healthcare better and create significant growth for industry and jobs in theUK. We hope they will support investment in medical research and in digital technology in theUK, including many small and medium sized enterprises. This will help to realise the PM’s ambition to make TechCity one of the world’s great technology centres and create an environment where the next Apple or Skype could come out of the UK.”

It contains some very useful ideas, so for more information, please visit Cabinet Office’s website http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/open-data-measures-autumn-statement

Seminar for Priorities for Standardisation of Accessible User Interfaces: 19th January, 2012

Venue: BSI, 389 Chiswick High Road, W4 4AL

Includes the LASSeO Chairman presenting lessons learnt from the SNAPI project.

The seminar is free of charge.  Further information from  http://www.cardiac-eu.org/user_interfaces/seminar.htm

Transport Ticketing 2012: 24th – 26th January,2012 , London

LASSeO members entitled to 25% discount

Examining the evolution and future of fare collection.  Contactless bank cards, smartcards or mobile ticketing - which ticketing model should you invest in?

LASSeO chair on discussion panel  - more details to follow

NFC Ticketing Europe 2012: March 20-21 2012,  London

Details at  www.nfcinsight.com/ticketingeurope/

Security Document World (SDW) security document, eID and document anti-counterfeiting show: 21st -23rd May 2012, QE2 Conference Centre, Westminster

More details to follow later.