Hitachi has implemented a vein-based access control
system at the New York branch of Japan’s Shinkin Central
Bank.
The finger vein authentication technology is implemented in the
bank’s trading room, its operation room and the server room.
To enter a secured a room, an ID number is entered into a
keypad, and the finger is placed on a reader for validation of the
vascular pattern. Employing this type of biometric system
eliminates the need for keys or cards.
Until now the
Hitachi finger vein authentication system has
been aimed at the Japanese market for applications such as
ATMs.
But Hitachi said the solution was now becoming popular for PC
access and building entry in a number of south-east Asian
countries, including Singapore.
To help popularise the technology, Hitachi has established
Finger Vein Authentication Business Centres in the US, Europe,
Singapore and China.
Hitachi's finger vein technology is able to read the unique
pattern of veins inside the finger. Because the vein is internal to
the body, disguising the vein pattern is virtually impossible,
making counterfeiting improbable, said Hitachi.
Critical to the technology is the use of light, which penetrates
the finger, illuminating the unique vascular pattern.
The system allows for the identification of the pattern without
it touching the sensor directly.
More information on the technology is available here:
http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Prod/comp/fingervein/global/index.html.
Knowing the legalities of biometrics
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