Biometrics to go mainstream

Biometrics helps manage increasing border traffic

Biometrics still haven’t made it to the mainstream though the benefits are real and positive, says David Chadwick, Unisys Asia Pacific director of identity and security.

Chadwick, who was a speaker at the recent biometrics conference in Wellington, says the New Zealand and Australian governments are not as advanced in some implementations as other parts of the world.

Chadwick says biometrics come into play particularly in border/immigration services.

He gives as an example immigration in Hong Kong where those who are enrolled with an APEC business card bypass normal immigration channels by going through what’s termed an e-channel. Fingerprint sensors recognise the traveller.

“The whole process takes 15 seconds,” Chadwick says.

“The business case is the ability to deal logistically with an every-increasing border-crossing public.”

Biometrics is also becoming increasingly important in the fight against anti-spoofing, he says.

“Some vendors are providing sub-dermal imaging down to the blood vessels.”

A project which is being closely watched is the Queensland Transport and Main Roads roll-out of biometric licences.

“A licence is now a primary form of identify. They’re actually used purely as a licence only 5 percent of the time,” Chadwick says.