Technological Advances in Biometrics on a Global Scale
Part Four

Integrating Biometrics with Smart Cards

There is a system that is meant to help organizations roll out smart cards embedded with any of a variety of biometric technologies, as well as software solutions to easily provide for identity credentials.

In less than five minutes after enrolling into a smart card system, a man had his fingerprints scanned, a photo was taken, and a smart card with all these data embedded was issued. A single software program made provisioning easy by using checklists to allow access to certain desktop applications and to various rooms, while other applications and areas remained off limits.

The card was both contact and contactless, which would enable the user to gain unhampered access to areas with both technologies. The contact technology was used at a computer terminal. The card was placed into a reader, and the man was automatically logged onto the computer. Passwords were read and entered, and he was given access to the desktop. Pulling the card out of the reader automatically logged him off.

This type of integrated solution is becoming common. Many of the big integrators are working on similar solutions, either internally or with team members to enable them to get into these big integration projects. These integrators are taking a great deal of the mystery and complexity out of implementing these strong security technologies that incorporate smart cards.

Automating and streamlining such processes represents a huge step forward. When an end user has to go it alone and secure cards and secure readers and secure applications like biometrics and physical access, then very often they're left to the rather complex job of trying to get all the pieces to work together.