ID verification speed drives biometrics

By Martin Czernowalow

 

Posted: 5 May 2006

 

ID verification speed drives biometrics

The convenience of using biometrics for ID verification outweighs any concerns of lax security methods when using smartcards, according to a new survey.

Webwereld reports a global survey of consumer attitudes to using biometrics found a 5% increase in people who favour the use of biometrics as a preferred method of identity verification. Some 10% of individuals in the Asia-Pacific region would prefer a chip implanted in their body.

The survey, conducted by Unisys, surveyed 1 661 people globally, with 12% of the respondents in Australia. Convenience, according to 83% of respondents, was the main reason for using biometrics on a smartcard and three quarters said speedy verification is the main driver for biometric adoption.

Consumers worldwide support biometrics

Nearly 70% of consumers worldwide support using biometrics technology, such as fingerprints or voice recognition, administered by a trusted organisation (bank, healthcare provider or government organisation) as a way to verify an individual's identity, according to new global research from Unisys (www.Unisys.com).

In the first worldwide survey of its kind to study consumer security preferences, the Unisys research also found 66% of consumers worldwide favoured biometrics as the ideal method to combat fraud and identity theft as compared to other methods such as smart cards and tokens, reports Enterprise Networks and Servers.

This finding shows an increase from separate research that Unisys conducted in September 2005, which found 61% of consumers worldwide favoured biometrics as the preferred method to fight fraud and identity theft.

Biometrics centre of excellence opens

A biometrics centre of excellence has been created in the heart of the Europe Union, in Brussels, Belgium, reports the eGov Monitor.

The new centre is an interactive facility, designed to showcase advanced identity management solutions to customers and illustrate potential real-life examples of biometrics technology. These range from e-ID card and passport technology to biometric identification techniques including 3D facial, electronic iris and finger print recognition.

With security and identity management high on the agenda of European businesses and governments looking to reduce risk and protect themselves against fraud, the new centre will offer executives the opportunity to see first hand the benefits of biometrics technology.