A Hearable Device with Biometric Authentication: 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:

ADI Calls On DoD to Revamp Cybersecurity

The Alliance for Digital Innovation has endorsed legislation that would require the Department of Defense to study the costs associated with underperforming IT systems, and has called on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to make cybersecurity one of five priorities as lawmakers work on the National Defense Authorization Act for the next fiscal year. ADI has also endorsed language in the bill, which has been approved by the House of Representatives, that would revamp the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), FedScoop reports.

Liberia’s PPCC Refuses Ekemp Decision

Liberia’s Public Procurement Concession Commission has refused to approve the National Elections Commission’s selection of a consortium led by Ekemp as the vendor for its biometric voter registration project. The bidding process had been plagued by scandal concerning the Commission’s particular treatment of Ekemp, a China-based company. Commission Chairperson Davidetta Brown Lansannah unilaterally selected the company’s consortium last week amid objections from her co-chairs, but the PPCC is now asking the Commission to pick one of the other qualified bidders.

Mobile ID at the Polls

Mississippians will be able to use their mobile IDs as valid proof of identity when casting their ballots in November’s state elections. The state’s mobile driver’s license system was developed by IDEMIA in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Safety (DPS), and launched last year. The app supports mobile-based biometric authentication via fingerprint or face scan.

West Bengal Implements Biometric Enrolment for Teachers’ Exams

The West Bengal Board of Primary Education will implement a biometric attendance system for those taking examinations to become teachers. WBBPE President Gautam Pal has said that he wants to ensure that the teacher recruitment process is fully transparent and free of corruption.

Tribal Casino Deploys Biometric Security System

Oosto has provided facial recognition software to Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, one of the largest tribal casino operators in America. The technology is being used to secure the flagship River Spirit Casino and Resort, a 200,000-square foot facility that sees about 10,000 guests per day. In a statement, Sean Crain, the CEO of Oosto’s integration partner, Orion Security Solutions, praised Oosto’s facial recognition technology for operating effectively in the “tough conditions” of a busy casino.

Product Launches

Jumio has launched an updated version of its KYX Platform that now features an integrated orchestration hub, thanks to the company’s acquisition of 4Stop. The orchestration hub helps to streamline AML and KYC compliance by leveraging widely sourced data and applying real-time analytics while scanning for risk signals. Read our full story.

NEC has announced the global launch of its “Hearable Device”, an earbud-like wearable that is designed to enable “acoustic biometric authentication”. The device was jointly developed with Foster Electric Company, and is being distributed through Makuake, Inc. An earlier version of the device was launched in Japan in 2020; the new model features additional biometric capabilities enabling it to monitor the user’s pulse and scan the temperature of the user’s ear canal surface.

Mitek has announced a multimodal authentication solution based on voice and facial recognition. Operating through a smartphone app, in practice it requires the user to record a selfie while saying a specified phrase. A demo SDK is available now, and Mitek is showcasing MiPass at this week’s Money20/20 event in Las Vegas.

Aware, Inc. has launched a multi-factor authentication platform for the enterprise that is “pre-configured for the most common use cases”, and therefore easy to deploy for most organizations, the company says. In a statement, CEO Bob Eckel noted that for organizations seeking a new security solution, “sourcing and integration takes time, money and advanced technical knowledge—thus preventing any organizations that don’t have those resources available from deploying the level of security they need.” The new AwareID offers a low-code, low-cost solution.

Strategic Partnerships

IDEX Biometrics has partnered with TrustSEC, a Polish company offering a number of digital authentication solutions as well as mobile app security and smart card technologies. The partnership will see the combination of IDEX’s TrustedBio fingerprint sensor solution with TrustSEC’s smart card module, which features a smart card operating system and applets. The resulting biometric smart card will be pitched for physical access control and crypto wallet security, and is expected to see a commercial launch in Q1 of next year.

Lumin Digital, an IT consultancy focused on the financial services sector, has agreed to offer BioCatch’s behavioral biometrics technology to its network of financial institutions. The partnership means that Lumin’s customers can benefit from anti-fraud technology that operates passively, scanning things like mouse movements and typing cadences for anomalies that can point to potential fraud attempts.

iProov has partnered with Microblink, a computer vision specialist, in a collaboration that will combine the latter’s identity document scanning technology with iProov’s facial recognition tech. Microblink’s BlinkID software can scan documents including passports and driver’s licenses from 138 countries. “Together, iProov and Microblink provide an integrated solution that protects organizations against online fraud, while safeguarding consumers’ digital identity,” said iProov’s Chief Product & Innovation Officer, Joe Palmer.

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October 24, 2022 – by Alex Perala