Biometrics

CellMax to introduce voice biometrics to the cafeteria line
Company overcomes technological hurdles to offer alternative to lunchtime fingerprinting; loud noise and puberty among challenges; PCS Revenue Control teams up to provide point-of-sale services
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CrossMatch expands its casino presence
All German casinos now use the company’s FaceSnap/FaceCheck facial recognition system; technology identifies cheats and known troublemakers; Casino Esplanade in Hamburg the latest to beef up its operations
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Digimarc signs $4.6 million extension contract with Idaho
State will follow twenty others in adopting Digimarc’s digital watermarking technology for its identification cards; REAL ID Act prompts upgrade; company has a twenty-year history with the state
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Heathrow begins new biometric tracking pilot
Passengers will scan their fingerprints at self-service kiosks or ticket counters; some will receive iris and face scans; only Emirites and Cathay Pacific flights to Dubai and Hong King effected; Accenture, IER, Raytheon, Sagem Defense Securite, and Sita provided the technology
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Smartrac to ship millions more inlays
Dutch company a major player in the ePassport market; deal with Infineon follows strong financial reports; company set to build two new factories, one in the United States, to expand capacity to 4 million units per month
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Australian social service agency first to take up access smartcards
Centrelink says winning bidders will lay a foundation for a FIPS 201-type program across the Australian government; Vasco token on their way out
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AFIS market set to reach $160 million annually by 2010
Technological innovation as well as the government-wide transition from manually processing rolled fingerprint cards to fully digital processes drive growth; local governments now taking a life-cycle approach, with fewer overhauls and more software updates
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Motorola wins Norwegian visa and passports contract
System will be among the first in Europe to meet “multi-mode” European Union standards for fingerprints, 2D face, and signature capture; to ease transition, software will be produced in multiple Norwegian dialects and languages; deal shows Motorola establishing itself in a competitive market
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Verified Identity gets the go-ahead to expand
DHS authorizations means the Brill-owned company can move in at airports in New York, California, Indiana, and Ohio; Lockheed to work as subcontractor for account and network management
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Sequiam receives a second order from CyberKey
Deal is worth $2.25 million; Under a previously signed dustribution agreement, Sequiam is to eventually manufacture a private label line of biometrics for CyberKey
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Bio-Sense makes its bones with dog biometrics
Attached to a dog collar, system can discern between an excited yip and a defensive alarm; when the latter, the police are immediately notified; animal biometrics a growing niche field
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Error rates cause havoc for TWIC roll-out
One percent error rate is fine for HSPD-12, but FIPS-201 sensitivity may cause problems at ports; long lines and delays are expected, and port officials are steaming
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Cross Match names a new chairman
Walter Raquet will take over the reins of this already-well-run biometrics company; new chairman founded Knight Capital Group and has served on Cross Match’s board since 1999
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Pay by Touch snags Citibank Singapore deal
Bank will allow credit card payments by fingerprint; biometric approach a first for Citibank in Asia, and rivals are keeping tabs; registration is easy, but long-term success depends on merchant cooperation
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Biometrically identifying dead bodies now a live possibility
Researchers at the Universities of Leicester and Hamburg use a portable fingerprint scanner to identify corpses; system seen as ideal for disaster relief efforts; dead elderly women present a technological challenge
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