Will palm screening replace fingerprint ID?
Pastor Dale Morgan
Will palm screening replace fingerprint ID?*
2008-07-01
BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The future of automated identification
using body parts (biometrics) is in the palm of your hand, at least
that's what Fujitsu Computer Products of America wants you to think.
Fujitsu recently unveiled palm-scanning technology for the U.S. market
that's already in widespread use in Asia. Hiroko Naito, Fujitsu's
business development manager, said the firm's PalmSecure technology uses
near-infrared scanning to identify people by the pattern of veins in
their palms, which are as distinctive as fingerprints.
"It's a contactless device — you just hold your hand over the sensor, so
it's hygienic and easy to use," Naito said. "We have heard so many times
from customers that the reason they were hesitant about biometrics is
that it could be intrusive."
Geoffrey Turner, senior analyst at Forrester Research, said fingerprint
scanners are already deeply entrenched in the U.S. market, and that the
scanners used by fingerprint systems are much smaller than palm
scanners, making them more attractive for desktop use. (Fujitsu,
however, has come out with a palm scanner built into a mouse.)
"The chief reason for the development of the palm scanner is that in
Japan fingerprints are associated with criminality, so there is a strong
cultural aversion to using fingerprint scanners," Turner said. "And
there is the question of hygiene, since people will be touching
something. To make an impact here, palm scanning will have to overcome
the strong head start that fingerprint swipes have."
Naito said that one of the major advantages that PalmSecure has over
fingerprint scanners is that a significant percentage of the population
— as high as 8 percent — cannot use them because of damaged or missing
fingers.
"Anyone can use our system," she said. "If they have lost their hand
they can do some other part of the body."