New Payment Card Uses Biometrics, Audio Feedback to Support Visually Impaired Users

IDEX Biometrics has teamed up with London-based TaluCard on a new biometric payment card aimed specifically at the visually impaired. The card is expected to be introduced to the market in late 2024 in collaboration with an as-yet-undisclosed card issuer in London.

The card features an embedded fingerprint sensor, care of IDEX, along with “tactile guidance markers” to help the user locate the sensor. It also has a voice guidance system to further aid visually impaired card users.

The card will launch with an associated mobile app on iOS and Android, which is designed to help users manage payments and accounts. IDEX and TaluCard say that the solution will have a discreet audio feedback system designed to help users confirm transaction information while maintaining privacy.

In a statement, Steve Tyler, Director of Assistive Technology at Leonard Cheshire and former Head of Strategy at the Royal National Institute of the Blind, called it “a groundbreaking solution” that removes some of the common challenges that payment cards present to the visually impaired.

“Through the simple expedient of seamless biometric identification there is no need to be concerned about misuse of a card or handling unusual or inaccessible point of sale solutions,” he said. “TaluCard provides a unique level of peace of mind, convenience and user experience—a great win for accessibility.”

The card also aligns neatly with current and incoming regulatory measures meant to foster financial inclusivity, including the UK Consumer Duty and Accessibility laws as well as the European Accessibility Act, which is scheduled to take effect in 2025.

Because of its inclusivity for the visually impaired, the TaluCard partnership is a particularly notable one for IDEX Biometrics, which has announced several other collaborations in recent months as it has sought to get its fingerprint sensor technology implemented into a growing number of payment cards.

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August 14, 2024 – by Alex Perala