Biometrics

Will 2007 finally be the Year of Biometrics?
Industry has often suffered from its own hype; breakthroughs in the consumer market in 2006, however, may have been the tipping point
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States choose their own paths in regulating RFID
HID Global’s Kathleen Carroll takes on lawmakers in California, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire; Golden State legislators want to force full technical disclosure to consumers
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Gemalto wins Portuguese national ID contract
France-based companies dominance of the European identification market continues; new ID will include social security, taxpayer, and health care numbers; cardholders will use a PIN number to authenticate themselves; card can be used to sign government documents
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British to fingerprint and iris-scan all children aged 11-16
Leaked documents from the Home Office outrage privacy advocates; children’s data to be stored by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate until age 16, when information will be added to the National Identity Register; compulsory ID cards to be delayed until 2019
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Technical committee advises against TWIC encryption
National Maritime Security Advisory Committee says encryption would lead to higher costs, increased processing times, and roll-out delays, with little added security value; unencrypted fingerprint template offered as alternative
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Datastrip's award-winning card reader wins GAO approval
Handheld identity verification terminals certified as FIPS-201 compliant; system is the first single fingerprint device to be so honored; mobile system designed to create ad-hoc checkpoints beyond hardwired areas
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REAL-ID roll-out to be delayed
DHS offers states a reprieve by reinterpreting May 2008 deadline; states now expected to begin program at that date, but waivers will be given; late 2009 the new start date
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DHS abandons RFID for US-VISIT exit tracking
Tests at land border crossings found the technology unreliable; RFID tags were embedded in government forms; Smart Card Alliance applauds
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State legislators offer REAL-ID Web site
Intended to drum up opposition to the bill, site includes a searchable database of action at the state level, links to critical studies, an archive of related news stories, and a countdown clock
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Duke students invent "wisdom door"
System uses nine sensors to measure height, weight, and girth; passing through the door can activate any number of responses, including home entertainment preferences; tandem use with RFID envisioned
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L-1 reports strong quarterly earnings
Fourth quarter revenue increases $61 million due to acquisition spree; company reports $164 million annual earnings; strong passport market provides an extra boost
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L-1 wins $2.5 million contract with Texas Dept. of Public Safety
Company to install 100 booking stations using Identix technology; deal a perfect example of L-1’s growth through acquisition strategy
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Fujitsu rolls out PalmSecure vein identification at L.A. hospitals
Hospitals continue to be a lucrative market for biometric technologies; vein-based systems ideal due to hygenic considerations; Softex provides the software under a previously announced agreement
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Munich airport deploys license plate recognition system
GeoVision wins the conract to improve the airport’s parking control system; license plates are scanned on entrance and exit, thereby obviating the need for tickets and cutting down on personnel; frequent fliers rejoice
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SAFE ID closes €10 million second round of financing
Passport personalization company looks to expand its ePassport business, move into other industries; Atlas Ventures and Wellington Partners, as well as the National Innovation Fund of Kazakhstan, put up the cash; deal follows CCR Logistics Systems’s equity purchase
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