Fujitsu launches contactless palm vein authentication

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 16 November 2005 11:00

Business IT - Security

Fujitsu has launched a contactless palm vein device for biometric authentication security in Australia.

The device, called PalmSecure, offers advanced biometric authentication security that Fujitsu claims is significantly  harder to breach and more hygenic and user friendly than competing hand and finger authentication technologies.

Martin North, General Manager, Fujitsu Consulting, said, “The launch of PalmSecure marks our entry into the enterprise security product market."

According to Fujitsu, PalmSecure has been successful in Japan where it is being used in a number of areas including building accommodation, healthcare and financial services, including ATMs.  In Australia, Fujitsu sees an opportunity in the healthcare sector where contactless authentication technology is ideally placed for  room access to pathology laboratories and health research facilities, where hygiene is paramount. 

“Palm-based authentication has many strengths over finger-based technologies,” said Geoff Turk, director of enterprise security, Fujitsu Consulting.  “The palm, for example, carries 300 times more information than the finger, thereby providing a higher level of security.  In addition, fingers are more prone to injury and conditions such as arthritis, which reduces the number of people for which finger scanning, whether fingerprint or finger vein authentication, is accessible.  Furthermore, contact-based reader devices require constant cleaning to prevent replay attacks, whereas PalmSecure’s contactless nature removes this potential threat.”

Fujitsu plans to introduce a compact version of the device in 2006. In the future Fujitsu aims to incorporate the device in consumer products such as personal computers and mobile phones, as well as use in the automotive and home security industries.