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Somark's inkless RFID tattoos could keep troops safe
Yesterday’s attack in Iraq proves uniforms may not be the best way to distinguish friend from foe; technology intended for tracking cattle could prove a lifesaver for humans; passive RFID is perfectly harmless and does not require line of sight to be read
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Cross Match scanner wins German ePassport approval
Florida-based company’s L Scan 100 is the first to meet 500 pixel per inch requirements; Cross Match is known for beating competitors to the punch; approval opens up a fertile market
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British researchers marry lip-reading to video analytics
Government hopes that software will enable them to solve crimes based on conversations gleaned from CCTV; tracking the head and lip remain a challenge, but progress is being made; Asian and African languages present difficulties
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L-1 receives $1.7 million to bring image analytics to FAMS
Air marshals look to improve their database system; L-1 takes a break from efforts to acquire ComnetiX; company also reports strong sales of its Identix touchprint readers
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UPDATE: BIO-Key tops L-1's bid for ComnetiX
Bidding war for the Canadian biometrics company heats up; BIO-Key offer $1.29 per share, a $.24 increase over L-1 offer; ComnetiX responds by cancelling a shareholders meeting set to vote on L-1’s offer; new meeting scheduled for 2 February
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Gemalto promises acquisitions and partnerships in the new year
Company prepares to take on the e-commerce industry with a series of job cuts, but smartcard sector remains strong; Gemalto sees an industry ripe for consolidation and sees itself as the acquisitor, not the acquired
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Ingersoll Rand card readers earn FIPS 201 certification
Three different models receive cerification; though late in the game, Ingersoll believes its multitechnology approach provides a strong market advantage
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GSA puts HSPD-12 cards out to bid (again)
Following the cancellation of BearingPoint’s $104 million contract, GSA asks eighteen companies to consider picking up the slack; 420,000 government employees to need cards; award expected in the second quarter of 2007, and winning company will have 90 days to begin production
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Greek scientists develop brain scanning biometrics
Electroencephalography reveals unique neural pathways that could be used for identification; as with iris scans,some question whether users will cooperate; Polish team says a similar system achieved 88 percent accuracy
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DHS considers private integrator to manage REAL ID
Draft regulations sent to OMB supposedly ask for a private company to take a leading role in managing nationwide implementation
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Survey shows Americans highly receptive to biometric IDs
Truste and TNS poll shows a public willingness to trade privacy for heightened security; 82 percent support use in passports, with only slightly fewer wanting them for driver’s licenses and Social Security cards
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L-1 renews its offer for ComnetiX
After competition from BIO-Key, L-1 offers $1.05 per outstanding share, bringing the total price to $16 million; ComnetiXa leader in law enforcement-related identity solutions; shareholders approve the deal but have to wait to finalize it on Friday
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Smartrac and Assa Abloy settle patent dispute
Conflict over antenna inlay production process ends with Assa Abloy giving up seventy patents in exchange for licenses; deal paves the way for a possible Smartrac IPO
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Cogneto, critical of facial recognition authentication, adopts it anyway
Seattle-based company is known for its cognitive authentication approach; although facial recognition is immature for on-line banking, company decides to use it as a small factor among many; outside analysts see banks under pressure to deploy the latest technology, even as costs vastly outweigh the benefits
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Pakistan deploys biometrics to stop terrorist traffic into Afghanistan
System allows a choice of fingerprint, iris, or facial scan; preventing Taliban movement a major Afghani goal, but some doubt Pakistan’s willingness to follow through
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The long view
“The Federal Government Is Gone”: Under Trump, the Fight Against Extremist Violence Is Left Up to the States
As President Donald Trump guts the main federal office dedicated to preventing terrorism, states say they’re left to take the lead in spotlighting threats. Some state efforts are robust, others are fledgling, and yet other states are still formalizing strategies for addressing extremism. With the federal government largely retreating from focusing on extremist dangers, prevention advocates say the threat of violent extremism is likely to increase.