Sometimes, FindBiometrics’ most popular articles in a given week will go in all kinds of directions in terms of topic and theme, and sometimes a week will be dominated by one modality, sector, or major event. But in this week’s roundup, there’s a bit of a thematic odd couple – mobile biometrics and government biometrics.…
The digital identity startup Syntizen Technologies has completed a successful Pre-Series A funding round, receiving an undisclosed amount of money from Mastercard and ACPL, a biometric solutions provider. Syntizen is based in Hyderabad, India, and plans to use the funds to improve its products and fuel its domestic and global expansion. “Mastercard’s investment is…
NEXT Biometrics has received a substantial purchase order worth roughly $100,000. The order concerns fingerprint sensor modules that NEXT expects to deliver in the fourth quarter of 2019 and into 2020. The announcement did not reveal which company placed the order, but did disclose that it came from an existing NEXT customer that planned to…
India is moving forward with plans to set up a massive facial recognition surveillance scheme. The proposed system would centralize biometric data from multiple national databases, and would gather new data through a network of facial recognition cameras that would be set up throughout the country. Officials are hoping that the new system will help…
City officials in Detroit have come to a compromise on police use of facial recognition technology, with an oversight committee clearing it for criminal investigations but banning the technology’s use in live surveillance. Police in Detroit had first started using facial recognition software in 2017, with Detroit City Council having approved its purchase. But as…
A former IDEMIA executive is Aware, Inc.‘s new Chief Executive Officer. Robert – or “Bob” – Eckel joins the Aware team as both CEO and a new member of the Board of Directors, while previous CEO Kevin Russell has been named the company’s Chief Legal and Administrative Officer. Eckel served as CEO of MorphoTrust starting…
Fingerprint Cards (FPC) has announced that it will once again be providing fingerprint sensors for MeReal’s next shipment of biometric cards. The new cards are expected to hit the market in 2020, and will feature an FPC1300 sensor. MeReal recently unveiled a new biometric smart card called the Keyper, although it’s unclear if the Keyper…
“… IDEMIA and Zwipe say that their solution will be distinguished by its relatively small number of components, with things like the Secure Element and the microcontroller all embedded in a single chip mounted on a flexible Printed Circuit Board.” IDEMIA and Zwipe have teamed up on a biometric payment card solution that they are…
“The project will involve the exploration of multiple biometric identification technologies for infants, with the aim of building a biometric ID program based on the most successful approaches.” ID2020, a public-private alliance aimed at supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal on universal identity, has announced a new identity project in collaboration with the Government…
Huawei has unveiled its next set of flagship smartphones, and it’s going to feature in-display fingerprint sensor technology from Goodix. The Huawei Mate 30 is the standard model in Huawei’s new lineup, priced at roughly $880, while the Huawei Mate 30 Pro, priced at about $1,300 (Huawei hasn’t officially announced US pricing yet) features more…
Another business may have run afoul of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Kevin Truss has filed a class action lawsuit against Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning Inc., alleging that the Chicago-based company violated the law when it forced him to scan his biometric information in order to clock in and out for…
When it comes to the government biometrics market, one growth area that’s impossible to ignore right now is biometric border control. It is simply exploding around the world, partly as a result of many governments’ increased focus on border security, and partly because of advancements in biometric technologies like facial recognition. Face-Scanning Achieves Liftoff In…
“We have selected Zwipe because of their proven ability to integrate biometrics with payment functionalities into an extremely space and energy-constrained environment.” – Gabrielle Bugat, Group Senior Vice President, Head of Business Unit, Financial Services, G+D Mobile Security Zwipe and Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security (or “G+D”) are teaming up on a new payment device,…
“Biometric identification will become an increasingly important part of our lives in the future.” – Arne Fleißner, Product Manager, Osram Opto Semiconductors Munich-based Osram Opto Semiconductors is looking to facilitate facial recognition on smartwatches with a new pair of infrared LED solutions. The LEDs, dubbed SFH 4170S and SFH 4180S, can each be used in…
Spain-based biometric authentication specialist FacePhi has received some significant financial backing from Nice & Green, a Swiss investment firm that offers investment capital to small and medium-sized listed companies. The latter has committed to delivering capital valued at 4 million euros through September of 2020. The backing will come in the form of warrants valued…
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) is looking to enhance its facial recognition capabilities. The organization has issued a Request for Information (RFI), asking interested parties to share research and datasets related to biometric recognition and identification at altitude and range (BRIAR). In more general terms, that means that the IARPA wants to be…
A senior executive with the United Nations’ refugee agency has taken another high-profile opportunity to highlight the benefits of the biometric identification of displaced persons. The executive in this case was Kelly T. Clements, the UNHCR’s Deputy High Commissioner. She was speaking at Roosevelt University’s Center for New Deal Studies for the prestigious annual Franklin…
The UK’s Gatwick Airport is planning to make biometric boarding permanent following a successful trial with EasyJet. A second self-boarding trial will begin in the next six months, with the technology to then be installed at eight departure gates when the North Terminal’s Pier 6 expansion opens in 2022. The new gates will use facial…
IDEMIA has appointed a high-profile marketing specialist as its Chief Marketing Officer for North America: former Noveto Systems CEO Brian Wallace. Wallace has helmed Noveto Systems since June of last year, with previous advisory and executive roles with i.am+, Playground Global, Magic Leap, and Google, where he served as Global Brand and Product Marketing VP…