Biometric Onboarding, Cards, and Socks: Identity News Digest

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

Biometric Payment Cards

Zwipe has received a Component Conformity Statement certificate from Mastercard for its fingerprint-scanning payment card platform, Zwipe Pay. Zwipe’s customers can now leverage the company’s CCS certification to obtain a Letter of Approval for their own biometric payment cards built on the company’s platform. Zwipe CEO Robert Puskaric, who recently signed on to lead the company through its “new phase” of business, called the certification “a significant milestone and major step forward” for Zwipe and its customers.

Selfie Onboarding

Onfido has enhanced its selfie-based onboarding process for users in the Netherlands. The platform will automatically mask the “Burgerservicenummer”, or “BSN”, a citizen ID number that is primarily intended for use in transactions between Dutch citizens and the government. Private businesses are required to ask their customers to obscure the BSN when proving their identity. In the Onfido Real Identity Platform, that process is now automatic.

Airport Biometrics

Telos has received eleven client renewals and won multiple new customers for its Designated Aviation Channeling service over the past four months. USA Jet Airlines, IFL Group, California Redwood Coast Humboldt County Airport, Back Country Aviation, Advances Airlines, and ABX Air are the newest customers to have signed on to use Telos’s solution for the biometric enrollment of aviation workers.

Physical Access

Beckett Collectibles, a provider of solutions for collectors of rare items, has announced a new physical storage vault featuring biometric security. The Beckett Vault is a climate-controlled, insured, water- and fire-proof storage facility with 24/7 security. Eventually an online marketplace will allow customers to buy and sell collectibles stored in the vault across a blockchain network. Becket Collectibles has not yet specified the biometric modality used to secure the vault.

Executive Appointments

Alcatraz AI has named Tad Druart as its new Vice President of Marketing. Druart was previously VP of Marketing for Eagle Eye Networks, from 2020 to 2022; and he has also held Marketing VP roles with Abila (2014 to 2017) and ESO Solutions (2017 to 2018), as well as a position as Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer for Cantata Health from August of 2018 to December of 2019. In announcing the appointment, Alcatraz AI highlighted Druart’s experience “introducing disruptive technologies into existing markets”.

Academic Research

Researchers from Spain’s University of León have developed a gait recognition system based on Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) AI program. A Proof of Concept has been trialled in an indoor lab, and produced an accuracy rate of 88 percent. The sample size for the study, however, was restricted to just five subjects.

Risk Scoring

Daon has partnered with Neustar to augment the fraud detection capabilities of its IdentityX biometric authentication platform in a call center setting. Neustar’s Authentication Plus and Account Link solutions provide automated probabilistic analysis to assess phone calls and the devices being used to make them for risk of fraud. “By incorporating Neustar’s ANI validation and matching technology into our IdentityX contact center solution, we are better able to protect our customers from the onslaught of fraudsters,” explained Daon President Ralph Rodriguez.

CCPA Compliance

Beauty product retailer Sephora has become the first victim of the California Consumer Privacy Act. The company has agreed to pay a settlement of $1.2 million in a deal with the state’s Attorney General. Sephora has not admitted to wrongdoing; Attorney General Rob Bonta said that it’s “time for other companies to get the memo” about consumers’ privacy protections.

BIPA Babies

Eufy Baby has announced a new pair of smart socks designed to monitor babies’ sleeping patterns. The socks come with built-in, rechargeable, and washable sensors that can track movement, heart rate, and other metrics related to sleep patterns. Are they a BIPA case waiting to happen? Stay tuned to FindBiometrics to find out.

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August 25, 2022 – by Alex Perala