Biometric Gadgets Shine as CES Gets Underway: 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:

Apple Escapes BIPA With On-device Approach to Biometrics

An Illinois First District Appellate Court has ruled that Apple was not in breach of the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) through its use of fingerprint and face-based authentication on its mobile devices. The ruling largely rests on Apple’s on-device approach to biometric data, the fact that its biometric authentication options are optional, and that the systems require a multi-step setup process for users who decide to take advantage of them. The ruling offers some clarity about the scope of BIPA, but could still be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court.

VA to Commission Cybersecurity Audit

President Biden has signed into law the Strengthening VA Cybersecurity Act of 2022, which will require the Department of Veterans Affairs to commission an independent IT and cybersecurity audit. A bipartisan legislative effort, the bill was drafted in the wake of a 2020 cyberattack against the VA that compromised the data of about 46,000 veterans.

SITA, NEC Enable Biometric Boarding in Philly

Authorities at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) are installing biometric boarding systems in terminals A-East and A-West in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Based on SITA Smart Path and NEC I:Delight technology, the systems use facial recognition to speed up the passenger identification process. Ten biometric boarding gates are now operational, with more to come online over the next few months. The CBP’s Simplified Arrival system, meanwhile, is in place to process those landing at PHL.

ValidSoft Names New CMO

Voice biometrics specialist ValidSoft has named Deepa Caveney as its Chief Marketing Officer, a promotion from her previous position as the company’s Head of Marketing. “Under Deepa’s leadership, marketing has become one of the leading drivers of ValidSoft’s impressive growth,” explained ValidSoft CEO Pat Carroll. “Her experience and skillset will be invaluable as we prepare for another year of success and innovation in the voice biometrics space.”

IDEMIA Completes Phase One of Biometric Passenger Processing Project in Australia

IDEMIA has completed the first phase of a biometric traveler processing project at eight Australian airports. One hundred and nine of its Gen3 Kiosks have now been deployed at airports in Darwin, Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Coolangatta, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Phase two of the project will see the deployment of biometric eGates that will use facial recognition to rapidly identify travelers who have registered their faces and passports using the Gen3 Kiosks.

Yoti Seals Key Partnership in UK Background Check Market

Yoti has established an important new partnership in its home country of the United Kingdom: the company will provide identity verification services for Konfir, the first government-certified Attribute Service Provider to provide employee background check services under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF). For its part, Yoti was the first certified Identity Service Provider under DIATF. Across the pond, meanwhile, the company is facing a class action lawsuit under Illinois’s expansive Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), where it has requested a jury trial.

BIO-key Gets Another County Customer

New York’s Orleans County has become the latest member of BIO-key’s PortalGuard client roster, embracing the Single Sign-On solution in order to enhance data security and ensure regulatory and insurance compliance. In announcing the agreement, BIO-key explained that Orleans County needed a multi-factor authentication solution for its staff that did not require the use of personal phones. The deal arrives after BIO-key established PortalGuard agreements with Florida’s Citrus and Sumter counties last month.

New Biometric Gadgets at CES 2023

Epicore Biosystems has unveiled a wearable ‘sweat patch’ that is designed to continuously measure sweat, electrolyte loss, temperature, and movement, sending the data to a connected mobile app. The company will be showcasing its Connected Hydration solution at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where it will emphasize its applications in a range of industrial applications that entail labor in challenging conditions.

Aqara has launched a new smart doorbell featuring local facial recognition capabilities. The Video Doorbell G4 can run on batteries or be connected to a power outlet, and is compatible with Apple’s Homekit Secure Video platform. It can also stream video to Amazon and Google smart displays.

Biometric wearables specialist Valencell has unveiled a compact, digital blood pressure monitor that clips onto a user’s fingertip. The unnamed device operates based on photoplethysmography (PPG), and does not require calibration the way that a conventional blood monitor cuff does. The company is hoping to get FDA approval for the device sometime this year, and plans to sell it at a retail price of $99, reports ExtremeTech.

Smart bed specialist Ergomotion has launched a smart bed featuring embedded sensors that can track a user’s heart and respiratory rates, movements, and sleep cycles. The ErgoSportive bed is designed to link with Garmin smartwatches, enabling fitness tracking across the devices.

Invoxia, meanwhile, is pioneering biometric wearables for dogs. At this week’s CES, the company will be showcasing its upgraded Smart Dog Collar, which features ‘Heartprint Technology’ that can provide dog owners with data on their best friends’ respiratory and heart metrics. It also tracks dog activity like running, drinking, and barking, and their location using GPS.

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January 5, 2022 – by Alex Perala

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