Long-distance Fingerprint Scanner Can Improve Security Checkpoints

According to Technology Review, a prototype device called AIRprint, developed by Advanced Optical Systems, can scan fingerprints from up to two meters away.

The device detects fingerprints by shining polarized light onto a person's hand and analyzing the reflection using two 1.3 megapixel cameras configured to detect different polarizations.

Joel Burcham, director for projects at AOS, says individuals could simply hold up a hand and walk toward a security door while the device checks their identity.

At present, the scanner can only handle one finger at a time, which it scans in 0.1 seconds and processes it in about four seconds. Burcham says the device should be able to scan five fingers at once, with a proccessing time of less than a second.



"Minority Report" Technology Tested at Barajas Airport in Madrid

Hoyos has partnered with Herta Security to implement iris scanning technology in airports to solve current airline security issues and create the most secure process from check-in to boarding.

Hoyos and Herta are creating a pilot program to run in Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, the country's largest airport and the world's 11th busiest airport.  The pilot program is expected to roll out in early 2011 and uses Hoyos' biometrics technology to increase airline security and improve the passenger boarding process.

The implementation of Hoyos' products will facilitate passenger processing, while protecting the safety of travelers and reducing the risk for operators and governments.  

"To date, the passenger check-in process has not been user friendly; not only is it time consuming, as it lacks the ability to process a high volume of people in a short amount of time, it is also not a foolproof way to identify passengers," said Javier Rodriguez-Saeta, CEO of Herta Security.  "Biometrics technology is the most accurate system to identify people within a large database as well as a cost-effective way to process massive amounts of travelers.  Hoyos is the leader in iris security industry, and we are excited to partner with them to roll out this new level of non-invasive security to one of the world's largest airports."

"Global air passenger volume is expected to double by 2015, which reinforces the need for improved airline security technology," said Jeff Carter, Chief Development Officer of Hoyos Corporation. "As the need for this level of security grows, in airports and other sectors, we will continue to pursue partners, such as Herta, who can help us with enterprise solutions that can service entire industries – airlines are just the beginning."



New Security System Identifies People by Unique Eye Movements

As reported by Technology Review, a company in Israel has developed a security system that identifies people based on unique patterns of eye movements. An eye-tracking system has the potential to be harder to fool and easier use, its creators say.

The new system tracks the way a person's eye moves as he or she watches an icon roam around a computer screen. The way the icon moves can be different every time, but the user's eye movements include kinetic features—slight variations in trajectory—that are unique, making it possible to identify people.

City of Leon, Mexico, Tracks Citizens with Public Eye Scanners

The city of Leon, Mexico, is installing real-time iris scanners from Global Rainmakers to track its 1.2 million residents. The public eye-scanning system can identify 50 people per minute, while in motion. Portoss, a Leon-based company, will install miles of fiber-optic cable and construct the central iris database with power to enlarge the scale to include private sector corporations for a variety of applications. The goal is to make Leon "the most secure city in the world," but what about privacy concerns?

"This project has far-reaching implications for the state of iris biometrics, the 1.2 million citizens of Mexico, and the world," said Hector Hoyos, CEO of Global Rainmakers. "The vision Portoss has for the secure city initiative, utilizing iris recognition to fortify all aspects of life, is in complete harmony with our own. The project will utilize GRI's iris technologies to identify humans in motion and at a distance while ensuring liveness. Their requirements not only fit perfectly into the core of what we do best, they provide the most secure system possible in identity management and access control systems.

"This latest partnership continues to build on the momentum we are seeing around the world for our products and I am personally delighted that the City of Leon and Portoss have made the commitment to this effort. It is fitting that Leon, the sixth largest city in Mexico, located in the state of Guanajuato, La cuna de la Independencia or where Mexican Independence was born, would be the location of such breakthrough thinking."

The effort will bring together some of the most advanced technology in the world to increase security in the city, providing unparalleled iris identity fusion for law enforcement and other uses.

"We built Portoss to create a legacy of providing the very best solutions in partnership with Leon," said Alfonso Huerta Jimenez, CEO of Portoss. "This project marks the culmination of years of successfully delivering to that promise.  This serves as a demonstration of Portoss' ability to effectively apply GRI's biometrics technology for large-scale urban activities and provides a foundation for Portoss to further dedicate itself to national security, transportation, and law enforcement projects."

"The City of Leon is located just two hours south of Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico and four hours north of Mexico City. Our central location has catalyzed the City into becoming the foundation for one of the most important regions in the country," said Ricardo Sheffield, Mayor of Leon. "Because of our growth and increase in investment over the last 10 years, the City is highly visible in the country.  This project will further cement our position as a leader."

iPhone App Uses Facial Recognition to Identify Criminals

The Mobile Offender Recognition and Identification System, or MORIS™, iPhone app is designed to assist police officers with positively identifying offenders, suspects, gang members, convicted sex offenders and illegal aliens in seconds.

Implemented by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department and City of Brockton Police Department in Massachusetts, the app will "enhance the capabilities of our existing fingerprint and iris recognition biometric systems," said City of Brockton Police Chief William K. Conlon.

Officers will be able to enroll and compare the unique descriptive features contained in a face against a database to determine identity and access criminal information in seconds.

MORIS employs a full facial recognition system and, in the future, will incorporate iris recognition and fingerprint-matching capabilities.