Biometrics is the use of a physical aspect of a person to verify their identity. Biometrics can be used to secure personal information. The most commonly used physical biometrics are fingerprint and iris scanners, however, there are a number of ways these technologies are finding new uses such as mobile payment, point of sale, e-government processes, immigration services and even incorporating them into the internet of things.
Mobile Payment
It’s projected that two years from now, up to $1 trillion financial transactions will be conducted via mobile phones. With the portability, as well as the ease with which a cell phone can go missing, security is a huge concern. Biometric processes will be built right into cell phones making it difficult for anyone but the owner to operate it. The use of fingerprint technologies to verify mobile phone payments will become critical.
Point of Sale
Manufacturers have been experimenting with combining biometric technology and point of sale technology. This will eliminate the need for PINs or barcodes, thereby improving the shopping experience for customers. This technology can also be linked to mobile banking, eliminating the need to carry cash. The mobile phone might soon replace the wallet.
Multi-Stage Authentication
In order to improve security, multiple layers of authentication are required. A password or PIN alone is no longer good enough. Managers in the corporate world are looking at ways to improve security that include combining passwords with fingerprint scanning.
Immigration Services
Fingerprinting has always been considered one of the most reliable forms of identification used by law enforcement. Immigration services will use fingerprint scanning in order to verify identities of not only their employees, but also the people they serve.
eGovernment Processes
Government services always seem to be a popular target for fraudsters. Information security and user authentication continues to be a high priority for the government. Fingerprint recognition as well as face, eye, and voice biometrics are the most widely used biometrics in the government sector today and this trend will continue in 2018 and beyond.
The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things is changing design with the abundance of interconnectivity that is available today. With increased interconnectivity comes increased risk of security breaches. If one device is accessed and it is connected to many others, a security breach is no longer a breach of just on device. Biometrics are being used to ensure the IoT is as secure as possible.
With security being a concern for many businesses and citizens, it’s comforting to know we can maintain and tighten security with the incorporation of biometrics. Whether it’s securing the Internet of Things, ensuring services are provided to the right people, or making things more convenient for consumers, biometric security has a role to play in many industries.
Pivot International is a product design, development, and manufacturing firm with strengths in software development, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial design. To learn more about how we can help you engineer a new product, update an existing product, or in obtain biometric security for your business, contact us today.
