Biometrics

NYC employees rebel against introduction of biometric monitoring
After six months of agitation, city employees unions persuaded New York City to make the use of biometric “punch clock” voluntary; the unions’ next targets: Voice recognition to track city staffers out in the field, and GPS built into city employees’ cars or cell phones
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L-1 and Identix join Automated Biometric Identification System project
Military has long been interested in providing troops in Iraq with mobile fingerprinting technology; project has been slow, but Northrop Grumman-led project now looks set to take off; Identix to provide FaceIt facial recognition and BioEngine fingerprint technologies
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IBT challenges Boeing's TWIC contract
Integrated Biometric Technology says TSA misread its proposal and asks for a review; appeal unlikely to derail the $70 million Boeing project; Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition comes under criticism
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Mobile fingerprinting comes to Iraq
Ad-hoc efforts by a Marine major embarass the Automated Biometric Identification System by deploying a functional system in thirty days; Cross Match, already known for it military JumpKit, provides the platform; Spirit of America and Goldman Sachs provide the funding
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Raytheon announces new self-authenticating PASS Card
Interesting approach to WHTI program relies on a card with a self-contained fingerprint scanner; travelers press their thumb to the card, which then sends authentication data via RFID to security officials
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Sagem Morpho shows smart contactless CHIUD reader
Federal agencies face a demanding task in implementing the FIPS 201 (PIV) requirements on a limited budget; Sagem Morpho smart terminal will help by wrapping an intelligent authentication layer around the legacy PACS
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Biometric vein readers gain in popularity, but format war looms
In Japan, more and more banks adopt biometric vein reading as the ATM security biometric technology of choice; problem is, there is a format war brewing between the two main developers of the technology; in the U.S., though, it is a question of cost, not techngology standard, which has so far deterred banks from adopting biometric ATMs
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Sarnoff Labs develops covert iris scanner
Checkpoint system inobtrusively scans the irises of approaching pedestrians; infrared strobe light combines with a series of cameras to create a series of images; effect of sunglasses unknown
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Smart Card Alliance publishes best practices for RF industry
Trade association works to distinguish RF from RFID technology; privacy and utility major concerns as well; industry encourages to ensure data protection and communicate more effectively with users
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Smartrac buys a 25 percent stake in Multitape
Purchase gives Dutch company an even firmer grip on the ePassport inlay business; Multitape known for its etching technology
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GSA to cease free HSPD-12 testing program
After agency spends $750,000 to catalyze the market, vendors will have to contract with private laboratories for HSPD-12 certification; costs seen as on the downswing; seventy-five vendors have already been approved
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Sony acquires IPIX's intellectual property for $3.6 million
Bankruptcy proceedings offer a ripe opportunity for Sony just as it launches its own video analytics suite; IPIX’s gigapixel camera a tasty morsel; Steve Hunt provides an analysis of Sony’s future success and IPIX’s past failures
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Coming and going
Steven Goldberg replaces Brooks McChesney
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CoreStreet wins Pentagon Force Protection Agency HSPD-12 contract
PIVMAN’s popularity on the rise after a recent deal in Los Angeles; government agencies continue to get their HSPD-12 houses in order; handheld authentication systems show market strength
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UPDATE: ComnetiX board recommends takeover by L-1
Identity solutions company rejects richer all-stock offer by BIO-Key due to concerns about liquidity; shareholders to vote 8 February; BIO-Key finds a silver lining in a $300,000 Oklahoma interoperability deal
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