Hitachi has unveiled a new biometric scanner that could be used in high-volume areas where crowds of people need to pass through security quickly. The system provides highly reliable finger vein authentication and doesn’t require the people being authenticated to stand still as it scans; they need only to wave their hands over a tray.
The company asserts that the system can produce a reliable scan regardless of hand and finger position, and suggests it could be used in areas such as sports stadiums or convention centers.
If the system is indeed as easy to use and as reliable as Hitachi says, it’s pretty easy to imagine other applications: Governments around the world are already embracing biometric scanning for their air terminals, and Hitachi’s system could really speed up the check-in process for travelers. It could also be used in the workplace, where we’re seeing a growing encroachment of fingerprint-scanning technology for employee tracking.
Wherever it ends up, it’s a welcome improvement. Security screening is a booming field, and it can only help everyone involved to introduce technology that will speed things along.
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December 9, 2014 – by Alex Perala
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