Design challenge to increase mobile phone security

The Design Council and the Technology Strategy Board have launched the Mobile Phone Security Challenge and is offering a total of £400,000 to designers to come up with solutions for securing handsets. Research revealed that 80% of mobile phones contain data which can then be used to access bank accounts, steal identity or sell on personal data. The Challenge is part of Design out Crime, an initiative from the Home Office Design & Technology Alliance Against Crime and the Design Council. The Mobile Phone Security Challenge is supported by the Technology Strategy Board. Once applicants have submitted a tender, a panel of experts will allocate teams money from the £400,000 fund. The researchers will then spend ix months developing designs and working prototypes. Once the applications are market ready, they will be showcased and promoted by early 2010. Home Office Minister Alan Campbell (pictured) said: "We are committed to tackling and preventing crime in all forms. The rapidly developing nature of mobile technology means we must continue to work together to eliminate any future opportunities for criminals to profit from mobile phone theft. It is vital that as new technologies are developed key safeguards are incorporated at the drawing board stage. The Design and Technology Alliance and competitions like this are a key part of the government's drive for a greater emphasis on designing out crime. By bringing together experts from industry and design we will continue to deliver innovative and practical solutions to real problems. We have already seen successes such as the introduction of chip and pin which has helped to reduce fraud on lost or stolen cards to its lowest total since the industry started collating fraud loss figures in 1991." The deadline for applications is Friday 22nd May. Short listed applicants will present to the expert panel on Friday 27th June and the four finalists will be announced on Monday 29th June. The teams will develop prototypes over six months involving a process of review and advice from the expert panel. More details of the Challenge can be found here.