• Safran in Talks to acquire most of L-1 Identity Solutions Inc.

    Paris-based Safran SA is exploring the acquisition of Connecticut-based L-1 Identity Solution; L-1 is likely to be split up, with another buyer acquiring a separate unit that sells consulting services to U.S. intelligence agencies; L-1 had a stock market value of about $670 million as of last Thursday; L-1’s CEO, Robert LaPenta, formed the company after serving as president and chief financial officer of L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. from 1997 to 2005; LaPenta helped start L-3 with co-founder Frank Lanza after both men left Lockheed Martin Corp

  • Facial-recognition solution offers surveillance new edge

    When the new facial-recognition solution finds a match in a database for someone who may be on a watch list, the client may be notified in multiple ways, including text message or e-mail alerts; biographical information such as criminal records are added and the images and made available to the client from any Web browser, including Web-ready mobile phones

  • EU biometric passports not that safe, experts say

    The EU’s e-passports were supposed to be fool-proof, even impossible to counterfeit; Europol has warned, though, that despite the biometric changes to passports, counterfeiting still remains a major problem for criminals or others “who are determined to do so,” with the provision of documents for irregular immigrants being the main driver of the activity

  • Here's looking at you: Tokyo digital billboards scan passers-by

    Billboards in Tokyo “look” at passers by, identify their age and gender, and then flash advertisements which are tailored to these people; a consortium of eleven railway companies launched the one-year pilot project last month, and has set up twenty-seven of the high-tech advertising displays in subway commuter stations around Tokyo

  • Europe's first finger-vein biometric ATMs installed in Poland

    Poland claims to be the first European country to install finger-vein biometric ATMs; the authentication system developed by Japanese tech giant Hitachi; unlike fingerprints, which leave a trace and can be potentially reproduced, finger veins are impossible to replicate because they are beneath the surface of the skin

  • Docusign commemorates ESIGN anniversary by launching new e-signature tools

    Exactly ten years ago — on 30 June 2000 — President Bill Clinton signed the Electronic Signatures in Global National Commerce (ESIGN) Act, which aimed to encourage the use of e-signatures on business documents; to commemorate the anniversary, Docusign, a provider of an e-signature platform, is releasing of Docusign Spring 10, a major upgrade to its service

  • Omiperception and MaxVision to join forces

    Partnership between two companies will enhance marketing offering; ruggedized portable computer adds facial recognition biometrics to allow law enforcement, first responders to collect and process biometric and other relevant in-the-field information

  • MorphoTrak receives secure driver license contract award from North Carolina

    The $47.5 million contract calls for the company to supply the state with MorphoTrak’s Secure Credentials Center for identity assurance; the company will implement its 3D Photo IDTM technology, which features laser-engraved three dimensional photo-images

  • Schlage, Solero Systems form technology partnership

    A manufacturer of contactless smart credentials and readers and a developer of identification and access solutions have formed a technology partnership to bring advanced identification and access solutions to customers

  • Government plans new biometric passport rollout

    The U.K. government is planning to begin issuing new biometric passports in the autumn; the Home Secretary said the government was looking at providing better physical security and stronger electronic security for a new design of passport to be made available from 5 October

  • Could-based voice biometrics e-commerce platform launched

    The industry’s first voice biometrics-driven e-commerce platform launched; the cloud-based service allows retailers instantly to set up and run their online business, processing transactions using voice biometrics to authenticate and authorize their online, and mobile-based electronic payments

  • Biometrics and cloud computing

    More and more biometric-enabled identity cards are being issued by governments; taking these cards into the streets and other remote locations will increase the demand for mobile biometric devices; these mobile devices permit a country to take biometric-based critical services directly to citizens, rather than requiring citizens to come to the technology

  • New solution offers biometric security to mobile devices

    Aussie company offers a biometric security solution for mobile devices; a Bio-button token is authenticated by the user, and as long as the Bio-button remains in the range of the mobile device, the authentication will remain active. This means that if the phone or mobile device is stolen, lost, or moved away from the token, the pairing is disconnected and the authentication broken

  • Australia looks at facial recognition for law enforcement

    Police in Victoria, a southeast state in Australia, want to use facial recognition biometrics to assist its law enforcement personnel in apprehending wanted people; experts warn that the technology is not yet advanced enough to be used as evidence in court

  • Animetrics provides facial recognition systems to Massachusetts law enforcement

    BI2 Technologies awarded contract to implement statewide facial recognition system in Massachusetts to identify inmates, suspects and gang members; the facial recognition technology will come from new New Hampshire-based Animetrics; BI2 Technologies’ own iris biometric technologies are already being used by state and local law enforcement agencies in forty-seven states