Apple’s Getting Into Iris Recognition – Identity News Digest

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

With New Headset, Apple Introduces ‘Optic ID’

Apple has added iris recognition to its roster of biometric authentication systems, thanks to its integration into the newly unveiled Vision Pro headset. The new Optic ID system, complementing the Face ID and Touch ID authentication mechanisms found in Apple’s other mobile devices, will scan the user’s iris using “various invisible LED light exposures,” according to a statement announcing the device. The iris scan is compared against a template stored in the Vision Pro’s Secure Enclave, with a match unlocking the device instantly.

Retailer, Wendy’s Franchise Owner Settle BIPA Lawsuits

Forman Mills, a retail chain, has reached a $2.38 million settlement of a class action lawsuit alleging that it violated Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) in its use of fingerprint and hand scanning for time and attendance tracking. The company is accused of failing to properly obtain consent and provide the necessary disclosures under BIPA. So is Wenzak Heartland, a Wendy’s franchise owner that also used fingerprint and hand scanning devices for attendance. Wenzak has agreed to a $1.9 million settlement. Neither company has admitted wrongdoing.

Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Backs UK Regulatory Summit Idea

Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Brian Plastow has announced his support for a proposed summit on AI regulations for United Kingdom nations. He did so via a letter to Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s Innovation Minister, who called for such a summit a week ago. “Although AI transcends all sectors, its deployment can sometimes present acute ethical challenges which do not always have clear answers,” Plastow wrote. “Without legislation, regulation, and effective independent oversight, businesses, consumers, and the public sector may be nervous about adopting it.”

Digital ID for Refugees Uses Biometric Onboarding

Vouched, a Seattle-based identity verification specialist, has partnered with UK-based Zenoo to help the latter expand the use of its digital ID platform for refugees, FreedomID. Vouched is providing a selfie-based onboarding system for the platform; as FreedomID explains, an end user is asked to upload a live selfie and an image of their photo ID, along with information including phone number and email address. That launches an automated verification process, with a manual review triggered if the account set-up process does not meet FreedomID’s risk criteria.

UAE Authorities Collect Students’ Biometrics

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates are collecting the biometric data of students for a national identity registry. The effort is being carried out by the General Directorate of Identity and Passport Affairs and the Emirates Foundation for School Education, via official visits to the country’s schools; as the Khaleej Times reports, this eliminates the need for students to go to “customer happiness centres” to register their biometrics.

Seven Banks to Expand Rollout of Biometric ATMs

Japan’s Seven Bank is planning a dramatic expansion of its roster of face-scanning ATMs. A unit of Seven-Eleven Japan, Seven Bank places its ATMs in Seven-Eleven convenience stores, with ATM fees providing a steady stream of revenues. It started working with NEC on biometric ATMs in 2019, and says it now has about 16,000 ATMs equipped with facial recognition. It wants to get the technology into 20,000 ATMs nationwide by March of 2024, allowing more users to perform withdrawals, deposits, and possibly other transactions as their systems are improved.

Slovenian Bank Offers Biometric Onboarding Service to Partners

Slovakia’s Tatra Banka is now offering a pioneering biometric onboarding service co-developed by Innovatrics to third party partners. The latter worked with integration partner Softec to deliver a selfie-based customer verification system that used facial recognition to match an end user to their identity document — a trailblazing approach to remote customer verification in 2018 that has now become mainstream. Now, Tatra itself is offering the onboarding solution as a service, through the bank’s API.

HID eBook Outlines Biometric Passenger Journey

HID has published a new eBook outlining the advantages of biometric identity technology in air travel. Entitled “Elevating the Passenger Journey With Biometrics and Identity Verification”, the paper focuses in particular on using face biometrics as a “trust anchor”. Essentially, the idea is to establish an irrefutable foundation for a passenger’s identity using facial recognition. From there, the traveler can be identified throughout the airport just by their face, and with no particular effort required on their part.

AU10TIX Refreshes Product Portfolio

AU10TIX has rebranded its product portfolio, and is now offering four distinct product lines. These include its Identity Verification Suite, Serial Fraud Monitor, the AU10TIX Platform, and Reusable Digital ID, with the latter being a Verifiable Credentials architecture solution developed in collaboration with Microsoft. Announced amid this week’s Money20/20 Europe event, the rebrand was framed by AU10TIX as “a move to better align with market trends and cater to existing and new clients”.

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June 7, 2023 – by Alex Perala