Caveon is pleased to announce having been awarded a US patent for the test security innovation, the SmartItem™.
The SmartItem was created to effectively end a number of serious problems the testing industry currently faces, including the problems of rampant test fraud, undetectable testwiseness, unfair advantages and disadvantages of test takers, and cost barriers to testing programs themselves. You can learn more about the SmartItem and its benefits in this booklet.
A SmartItem uses a now-patented technology during exam development and delivery so that the item renders differently each time it is delivered on a test. This ensures that no two examinees will see the same exact items and that no one can predict what content they’ll see on any given test.
“This patent is a testament to the unique impact the SmartItem will have on the protection of exams against test fraud,” said Steve Addicott, COO of Caveon. “We are thrilled to formally introduce this innovation to high-stakes testing programs worldwide.”
In an effort to protect and promote innovation, Caveon has applied for four U.S. patents in its history. The SmartItem patent marks the second that the company has been awarded so far.
“Patenting as a strategy has been underutilized in our industry, reflected in the fact that we continue to use today—despite computerization—basic item and test designs, and test administration models, that were in practice more than 100 years ago,” said David Foster, CEO of Caveon.
“The SmartItem is an innovation that can prevent most security threats, provide test scores that generalize broadly, and reduce test development costs by an eye-popping amount,” said Foster. “Impacting these three areas in such dramatic ways makes the SmartItem design a target for copying, but often not very competent copying.”
The patent allows Caveon to protect the SmartItem design and its major advantages for our customers and their test takers—and at the same time prevents others from selling an inferior solution.
