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Biometrics Go Big
Aug. 1, 2010
In recent years, biometric security systems have moved beyond the more tradition applications -- such as access control at businesses, government facilities and ports -- and into some surprising realms.
Advances in facial recognition, fingerprint verification and other corners of the biometric access management field have caused prices to come down and new installations to spread like wildfire. Once viewed as too new or cutting- edge by many people, the technology is finally hitting the mainstream.
A Biometric for Everyone
Today, biometric-based access control is making its way into a surprising range of applications. And as the technology becomes increasingly accessible and affordable, even smaller businesses are taking advantage of its amazing capabilities.
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Good Deeds, Faster
Biometrics also are having a big impact in the healthcare industry, where security and identity verification are always top-of-mind.
In one interesting application, the Oklahoma Blood Institute, a non-profit regional blood center, is incorporating BIO-key International’s fingerprint identification solution to provide blood donors a fast and convenient method to establish their identity. The solution automates the donor check-in process and protects their privacy by eliminating the need for them to produce sensitive identification forms, such as driver’s licenses or social security numbers.
Once a donor is entered into the system, he or she simply touches a finger to the scanner. The software searches the OBI database to provide positive ID, reducing the check-in time and lowering the chance of human error.
“We recognize the importance of providing convenience for our donors and protecting their identity,” said Dr. John Armitage, Oklahoma Blood Institute president and CEO, in a press release. “Using the BIO-key ID solution, we are able to protect our donor’s privacy while reducing the chance of duplicate donor IDs and aliases in our system. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our donors’ experiences and protect the integrity of the blood supply for Oklahomans.”
Jim Sullivan, the sales director at BIO-key International, said the system’s fingerprint reader independence differentiates it from other biometric readers.
“This enables enrollment, identification and verification to be performed by fingerprint scanners produced by any of the major fingerprint reader manufacturers,” he said. “Popular laptops, tablet PCs, workstation keyboards and even cell phones that have integrated fingerprint readers can be used to establish the donor’s ID.”
Beyond Access Control
Obviously, today’s biometric technology isn’t just for access control applications. Something as simple as library book loans now can be managed using fingerprint recognition systems, as prices continue to drop and functionality improves.
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