Biometric Ticketing Comes to Osaka Station: 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:

Kenya Works With Belgian, Japanese Partners on Biometric Healthcare System

Kenya’s Ministry of Health is working with government officials in Belgium and Japan on a biometric medical records system, according to a new report. The Ministry is already working on a Vaccination Management System featuring fingerprint and voice biometrics, currently being developed in collaboration with NEC engineers, that uses the biometrics to reliably identity children as they proceed through vaccination regimes. In a statement, the Kenyan health ministry said “the three nations are working together on several initiatives to improve healthcare in the country.”

Osaka Station Gets Biometric Ticketing

Osaka Station, a major rail transportation hub in Japan, will launch a biometric ticketing system this weekend. The system replaces paper tickets with a face scan for those who opt in, enabling a more seamless experience for registrants. The biometric system was reportedly developed by an innovation unit in rail operator JR West, and the company says it plans to roll out the system across more of its network if the Osaka Station deployment proves successful. The station also has new robot guides designed to help travelers find their way through the building.

Thales Provides Tech for New Finnish e-IDs

Finland has launched new e-IDs in collaboration with Thales. The documents include passports, resident permit cards, and general identity documents, and Thales says they incorporate biometric solutions to help fight fraud. The company has provided the documents through a five-year contract with the National Police Board of Finland, with the possibility of two extensions lasting one to two years. Thales has been working with Finnish authorities on the country’s IDs for decades, and helped them to deliver the world’s first polycarbonate e-ID card in 1999.

Knomi Biometrics to Support Onboarding for Pakistani Bank

Aware’s Knomi solution will be used in the mobile onboarding process for a major bank in Pakistan, thanks to a new partnership. The company has teamed up with Anyline, a mobile data capture specialist, which will provide technology to scan the end user’s identity documents, while the Knomi biometric technology will match the end user’s selfie to their ID, and verify that the document is live. The client’s name has bot been identified, but it was described in a statement as “one of the largest banks in Pakistan.”

Zwipe Partner to Promote Biometric Cards in Saudi Arabia

Zwipe has partnered with Inkript subsidiary Unicard, a smart card supplier based in Saudi Arabia. The partnership will see Unicard leverage Zwipe’s biometric payment card platform to make fingerprint-scanning payment cards available in the country and in the Middle East market more broadly. Commenting on the partnership, Inkript Industries Managing Director Riad Itani noted that “the demand for biometric payment cards has grown as Saudi consumers have shown an openness for new payments options,” adding, “The government is also encouraging cashless transactions and promoting payment innovation with emphasis on fraud prevention.”

HID Enables Mobile Access at Hi-tech London Skyscraper

HID Global has teamed up with smart building technology specialist Smart Spaces to enable mobile access for employees working at the hi-tech 22 Bishopsgate office tower in London. Their collaboration enables the creation of a digital employee ID card in an iOS device’s Apple Wallet, meaning that employees can access secure spaces just by tapping their phone at a reader. 22 Bishopsgate was constructed to support technological innovations such as 100Gbps connectivity and facial recognition.

Louisiana MDL Used for Identity Fraud

The US may have seen its first incidence of identity fraud using a mobile driver’s license. While on probation after a bank fraud conviction, a Louisiana man downloaded an LA Wallet – the state’s official MDL – onto his smartphone, and entered the information of another individual who, at the time, was incarcerated at the LaSalle Correctional Center. The fraudster went on to use the assumed identity to open credit union accounts and apply for a car loan, before being apprehended. The criminal actions underscore the LA Wallet’s remarkably lax onboarding process: An instructional video on the app’s website indicates that one only needs to enter a physical license’s identifying information in the app into order to create a digital version, with no further authentication of the ID holder required.

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March 17, 2023 – by Alex Perala

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