Written on 2:28 AM by AKS
As per an old saying “You can't teach an old dog new tricks”! But the government of India has decided to change the old habits of their employees. India's bureaucrats have long had a reputation for not sticking to time. In an effort to promote punctuality, biometric scanners have been installed at the offices of the Home Ministry.
From now on thousands of Home Ministry employees will register the time they arrive at and leave from work. A ten-minute delay three times a month will count as one day of leave. This marks the beginning of a drive to change the decades-old work culture of government employees, who have a reputation for arriving late and leaving early.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, “I hope that people absorb the spirit and the purpose behind which this system has been introduced. But this is a message to the whole country that everybody must do his work for the allotted time," he said. "I understand flexi time, we will introduce some flexibility, but the flexibility is if you come ten or fifteen minutes late, you have to work another ten or fifteen minutes."
The punctuality drive at the Home Ministry is music to the ears of thousands of people who have become accustomed to patiently waiting for government employees to turn up for duty, and endless delays in processing public documents such as passports. They are hoping other employees of the federal government, a staggering three million, will also have to fall in line.
However sociologists point out that it is not fair to blame just bureaucrats for slack time keeping. Punctuality is not an Indian virtue - whether at the official or social level. It is quite common for trains to run behind time, or for people to turn up late for official meetings. Guests seldom worry if they are hours late for lunch and dinner invitations, and marriage parties are often inordinately delayed.
Among the pieces of advise commonly handed out to foreign businessmen heading to India is not to pack too many appointments in a day, because several could run late.
Posted in
Biometric News,
biometric scanner
|
Written on 3:31 AM by AKS
Interswitch, an electronic transaction and payment processing company, has teamed up with Precise Biometrics, a developer of biometric solutions, to deliver Match-on-Card technology to the African banking industry. The partnership has already yielded one project which provides licenses for the product in 42 billion in Nigerian currency.
The partnership is significant to the banking sectors in Nigeria because the country has passed regulations requiring banks to do away with magnetic stripes for banking cards and instead adopting embedded chip cards.
The Match-on-Card technology from Precise enables banks to utilize biometrics for customer authentication at ATMs without having to store any biometric information. Precise Match-on-Card is in the process of storing and matching fingerprint information on a smart card to establish the physical presence of an individual. As the fingerprint information does not leave the card, there is no need for database or online communication, and the cardholder’s integrity is preserved.
Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, MD/CEO, Interswitch, in a statement said, “Interswitch is pleased to enter into this partnership, as Precise Biometrics is the leading provider of biometric Match-on-Card solutions and we believe that our joint efforts and technological know-how will have great commercial potential in the West African region”.
Posted in
Biometric News,
match on card technology
|
Written on 9:33 PM by AKS
Biometric security is rapidly gaining adoption among both private & public sectors worldwide as a precise, trustworthy and economic way to provide better and advanced security surveillance.
The continuously growing security concerns ranging from individual identity theft and corporate security to national security are driving the biometric market. According to a new research on the biometric sector, the global biometric market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 18% during the 2010-2012. This report discusses about the current and future scenario of biometric market across various regions, underlining the future potential areas and key issues crucial for the market development.
Europe & North America dominated the global biometric market, accounting for a combined market share of 62% in 2009. It was narrowly followed by the Asia-Pacific region. The African & Middle East region is also expected to emerge as a growing market for biometrics by 2012 as the Gulf and South African regions are taking several initiatives and starting various biometric programs.
As per the report, the financial sector has been emerging as a potential adopter in global biometric market. In particular, banks are leading the charge in oder to cut down on increasing frauds. The most interesting thing is that a number of banks in developing countries (specifically Asian nations, including India, China, Malaysia, etc.) are looking upon biometrics as a way to curb fraud and offer customers an easy and more convenient authentication alternative to cards and PINs for transactions like ATM withdrawals.
You can buy the report “Global Biometric Forecast to 2012” here.
Posted in
biometric market report,
Biometric News
|
Written on 10:56 PM by AKS
Sagem Sécurité (SAFRAN group), world leader in biometric identification solutions, and Schneider Electric, a leading control and signalling components manufacturer, have come along to combine their expertise to create a new innovative security solution for industrial environments: the Harmony biometric switch. The Harmony biometric switch is a very innovative biometric device that perfectly suits the needs and stipulations of the industrial market, providing optimum access control to systems and equipment.
The biometrics integrated in the switch combine high level of protection (unique
access using fingerprint recognition) with user-friendliness (no key, badge or password that can be lost, forgotten, stolen or copied). The switch offers the industrial sector increased productivity by minimizing maintenance and operating costs of the system and, at the same time, prevents unauthorised operation.
The switch is simple to set-up as both its registration/recording and parameterisation are quick and intuitive directly on the sensor. It is designed to operate entirely independently, without the need of any additional interface (PC). Regarding installation, its compactness enables it to be easily integrated in a control panel due to its compliance to the standard diameter 22 mm cut-out mounting method.
Posted in
Biometric News,
Biometric Security Products
|
Written on 12:04 AM by AKS
Gandhinagar, India: In order to check the rising cases of absenteeism among the students and teachers, the Gujarat government has decided to install biometric system in state-run primary schools to mark the attendance of teachers and students, announced an official in the chief minister's office on Sunday.
The decision was taken after a directive issued by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to the chiefs of all seven municipal corporations in the state. According to the official, it aims to entirely revamp the educational system.
It was mentioned in the directive that the schools have to start looking for a software that records the attendance of teachers and students using biometrics. However no deadline has been fixed for installing the software.
The attendance of teachers and students would be monitored by the state government on a daily basis, not only to check the dropout rate but also whether teachers are regularly present in schools. The biometric attendance data would have to be uploaded on to the websites by the municipal school authorities on a daily basis.
Posted in
Biometric News
|
Written on 4:33 AM by AKS
SecuGen, a leading developer of biometric products, has announced the release of two new high-capacity OEM fingerprint sensors. The two new scanners are called SDA04M and SDA04.
SDA04M, a non-FIPS compliant commercial application scanner, is intended for commercial biometric applications. While the SDA04, a FIPS compliant scanner for government or commercial applications, is intended for government and commercial applications where FIPS 201/PIV compliance is required.
The new SDA04 and SDA04M fingerprint sensors can register and store 10,000 users and perform blazingly fast one-to-many (1:N) searches on all 10,000. These sensors support either SecuGen proprietary templates or ANSI-INCITS 378-2004 standard templates for interoperability. The ANSI-INCITS option utilizes SecuGen’s MINEX compliant algorithms that have been tested by NIST. Additionally, the SDA04’s fingerprint optic module is FBI certified for PIV compliance and meets FBI Image Quality Specs.
According to Dan Riley, VP of Engineering for SecuGen. “Our goal, as always, is to provide our partners with the best tools available anywhere for building state of the art biometrics products. We are very pleased to be able to provide business partners around the world with these two new products.”
The SDA04M and SDA04 join the recently introduced SDA03M™ in ushering in a powerful new generation of standalone OEM fingerprint sensors built on SecuGen’s renowned rugged, accurate and high image quality fingerprint technology.
Posted in
Biometric Fingerprint Technology,
Biometric News
|
Written on 1:08 AM by AKS
Biometric Access Company will showcase its new Secure-Touch SmartLock physical access control system at the
National Retail Federation’s 2009 Expo on January 12 and 13 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.
SmartLock is a biometric-based physical access control solution that replaces key- based and ID card- based locks for enhanced security. It ensures only authorized individuals gain access to restricted areas such as inventory rooms, data centers and pharmacies, as well as restricted equipment including safes, controlled substance cabinets and merchandise displays.
Users enroll a master
template of their fingerprint in SmartLock, which is then compared to the provided fingerprint image each time they wish to gain access to the restricted area. Admittance is granted only when the template is matched and a positive ID verification is made. “SmartLock dramatically improves security and loss prevention for our customers,” said BAC President and CEO John Zavoyna. “The biometric solution eliminates lost, stolen or borrowed keys and ID badges to ensure only authorized individuals enter restricted areas. In addition, all admittance attempts – those both granted and denied – are captured in a log to provide complete access records.”
SmartLock utilizes BAC’s SecureTouch Advanced Modular (STAm) device, which is utilized for other BAC solutions including time & attendanc e and pharmacy controlled substance tracking . STAm is also used to process BAC’s payroll check cashing solution, and can function as an EFT terminal for credit and debit sales transactions.
Posted in
Biometric News,
Biometric Security Products,
Physical Access Control
|
Written on 3:05 AM by AKS
Fingerprint readers watch out. What used to be state of the art security could soon be replaced by contact-free biometric authorization systems that can read the unique pattern of veins beneath your skin. This week at the CES 2009, Fujitsu is demonstrating just such a technology, dubbed PalmSecure as well as an integrated solution for companies dubbed LOGONDIRECTOR Enterprise Edition that will allow companies to manage security across their companies.
Palm vein scanning is far more secure and accurate than finger print," according to Dan Miller, business development manager for the new products group. "Finger print can be spoofed but vein technology is located in the palm of your hand and cannot be spoofed."
Fujitsu Palm Reader
The PalmSecure reader uses near infrared light to capture your vein pattern, which is unique to each individual. This is then compared to a database of know patterns. The company claims its false acceptance is just 0.00008 percent.
Presumably, this biometric sensor could protect against the age-old sci-fi trope of using a detached finger to trick a biometric sensor. "You need to have blood flowing in order to get scanned." Miller says. "This virtually eliminates fraud."
Miller says the technology is already being deployed in multiple industries, including Healthcare, Physical Access, and Maintenance. For example, the company that administers the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Pearson VUE is using the technology to identify test takers to prevent so-called "proxy" cheating. Hospitals such as ValleyCare Health System in Pleasanton, CA, BayCare Health System in Tampa, FL. and Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, NC are currently using PalmSecure solutions to identify patients and prevent insurance fraud.
Posted in
Biometric News,
Biometric Palm Reader
|
Written on 11:26 PM by AKS
The world market for biometric products and services is surging ahead with opportunities, trends and growth drivers, as more governments and private firms implement management programs, criminal and employee IDs, as well as surveillance initiatives. In the coming years, Asia and the Middle East will account for the largest share in the biometrics market, which is expected to reach more than Dh27 billion globally by 2012.
In the Middle East, companies and governments are increasingly using biometric security systems to verify the identity of individuals at corporate and government sites, as well as at border points and airports. The regional biometrics market was estimated to be worth almost $500 million (Dh1.84 billion) in 2007, according to published reports.
Only recently, the UAE government spent about $55 million on cutting-edge biometrics technology to implement the National ID system, which in turn will generate some revenues.
Posted in
Biometric News,
Biometric Technology Market
|
Written on 12:41 AM by AKS
A new tender has been announced by the Israeli government detailing its plans for a nationwide biometric enrolment solution. The solution is designed to underpin both the eID project (which was awarded on 1/12/2008 to a consortium led by HP) and the country’s upcoming electronic passport project.
The enrolment project entails the capture of fully ICAO-compliant biometrics (face, two fingerprints) and signature capture, at sites geographically distributed throughout the country.
The tender announcement was released on 29/12/2008. The last date for purchasing the tender is 20/1/2009, and the last submission date is 15/3/2009.
Formal announcement in Hebrew:
http://www.info.gov.il/nr/exeres/C7942DE7-9ED2-4CAD-83FC-D55A1C77A4DB.htm
Posted in
Biometric News
|
Written on 2:08 AM by AKS
Corporate Safe Specialists (CSS) announces a significant upgrade to the MenuSOS software module for its Kiosk safe. The CSS Kiosk software platform has been upgraded to include .net framework 3.05, Windows Presentation and Communications Foundations (WPF and WCF) and SQL Express.
CSS Kiosk solutions are designed to help small and medium-sized businesses quickly implement self-service systems with a lower initial investment. MenuSOS is offered as an enhancement to the CSS Kiosk platform, which is the only kiosk system to accept credit/debit cards AND cash, validate and count currency, and store it directly to a business-rated safe. Notes are deposited directly into a business-rated safe and CSS Kiosk security can be made ready for armored car pick-up.
MenuSOS offers rapid self-configuration through a scripted, user-friendly process that non-technical users can complete within a few hours. Restaurant and retail establishments would then have a working kiosk platform that would provide benefits to both the business owner and customers.
For customers, they will now have the ability to order and pay for products and services through a touch-screen interface. The design objective for the user interface was a superior customer experience that shed associations with order entry via personal computer.
Business owners are able to service a greater number of customers without hiring additional staff. The MenuSOS will also enable small business owners to offer their customers the self-service options that have become increasingly popular at larger competitors. The MenuSOS module can also be used as a digital chalkboard to communicate daily specials and other information to customers.
CSS sells a variety of innovative security products including patented, smart-safe technologies that control access to safes remotely, and customer-facing solutions, such as kiosks, that manage transactions and handle cash payment directly from the customer. If you are seeking an entry-level kiosk solution to your business needs that you can implement quickly, confidently and cost-effectively, MenuSOS is designed for you!
Posted in
Biometric News,
Biometric Softwares
|
As per an old saying “You can't teach an old dog new tricks”! But the government of India has decided to change the old habits of their employees. India's bureaucrats have long had a reputation for not sticking to time. In an effort to promote punctuality, biometric scanners have been installed at the offices of the Home Ministry.
