EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | James Johnson
Organization : | N/A
Post Date : | 9/30/2005
Section Comments
Section : | 6.7
Page no. : |
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Comment : | What characteristics of IrDA make it different from FR communications? Presumably there are substantial differences between the two types of communication that warrant an exception for infrared but not for short range radio frequency communications technologies. The justification for this exception is flawed because any differences that matter for secure operation in a polling place are not mandated. While there are differences between short range optical and radio frequency transmissions, the differences are insignificant in voting system applications. The primary differences are at the physical layer and include: • The ability of RF to penetrate solid objects allows signals from outside the polling place to be received by a voting terminal; unless polling places are windowless IR radiation could be received from outside the polling place. • IR is highly directional while RF tends to be omni-directional. While IR is directional, it reflects from smooth surfaces including walls and ceilings. • IR is not as easily intercepted as RF. Unless the detector receives reflected energy, an interceptor would have to be in line of sight. In most polling environments, reflected energy would not be suppressed thus eliminating this advantage. • RF devices are strictly regulated and IR is not. Being unregulated, the characteristics and range of IR devices can be set as desired without violating any law or regulation. • IR devices will be subjected to interference as will RF devices as IrDA becomes more widely used in cell phones, PDA and other devices. [Statements submitted to NIST Technical Guidelines Development Committee]