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• Japan Biometrics Market to reach 40 billion yen in 2010
  A recent report in Japan stated that the biometrics industry in Japan will reach a total of 40 billion yen in 2010. According to report, the market has increased from 15.2 billion yen in 2005 to 25.44 billion yen in 2007. The growth in market size is expected to come from the huge demand from ATM in financial institutions and access control in the enterprise sectors. In 2007, 21.3% of the market demand will come from access control, 62.1% from PC access and remaining 16.5% from professional system. In terms of technologies, veins verification hold the majority 54.41% of total market share, fingerprints takes up 40.8%, leaving the final 1.57% for iris recognition and the rest are alternative biometrics technologies. Source: IT Home.com; 日本2010年生物認證市場規模將超過400億日圓, Biometrics market in Japan to exceed 40billion yen in 2010 (November 1st, 2007)
• Biometric Technology adopted for airport security
  Airport security has been a key issue lately and there has been an increase in the demand for biometric technologies to be applied in airports. Fingerprint technology has became the most demanded technology compared to other means of biometric identification technologies. When compared to other types of biometric technologies, fingerprint verification provides the most cost-efficient means of security enhancement. The Johannesburg Airport has recently installed biometric system to enhance its security and access control for its 600 employees. The airport now meets the security mandates set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The mandates are applicable to every single airport and even the smallest ones. Since the 911 tragedy, governments in US and Canada have been taking a pro-active role in enhancing security within the country. Biometrics technology has been gradually replacing traditional means of access control. It is expected that more airports will adopt the use of biometric technologies as a replacement to their current security measures. Source: engineeringnews.co.za; Biometric technology improves airport security (November 2nd, 2007)
• Biometrics assisted Coastal guards in border security
  The US Department of Homeland Security adopted biometrics technology for law-enforcement by the costal guards over a year ago. The program has reduced the flow of illegal migration by 50% between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The program granted the right for coastal guards to obtain biometric data from captured illegal immigrants. The data is then used to compare with the US VISIT database to identify criminals and immigration violators. Border security is further enhanced through the adoption of biometrics. By comparing the data in real time, criminals are identified and prosecuted more efficiently and avoided any human errors during the verification and identification process. Source: Techweb.com; Biometrics Help Identify, Apprehend and Deter Illegal Migrants (November 14th, 2007)
• Atlanta police to use biometrics
  Fingerprints are not the only evidence that is left in a crime scene. The traditional way of identifying suspects is the collection of fingerprints from different surfaces and identifies them using a biometric system at the police department. By experience it is proven that apart from fingerprints, palm prints were also left in most crime scenes that can be utilized as a means for identifying criminals. As an effort to assist law enforcement, The Police Department of Atlanta adopted the use of a new workflow-based biometrics system, which is capable of scanning palm prints collected from crime scenes and managing databases at the back-end. The 10 identification workstations and 13 biometrics scanners can store up to a million fingerprints and half a million palm prints that significantly shortened the time for identification. As a result of the shortened processing time, criminal cases could be solved more efficiently and accurately. Source: Networkworld.com; Palm-print biometrics aid Atlanta police (November 14th, 2007)
• Second Generation ePassport implemented in Germany
  Following a decision made by the EU, all member countries will be adding fingerprints to passports. Germany is already implementing the second generation of fingerprint-enabled ePassport. It is claimed that Germany will be the first country in the world to introduce such passports with enhanced security, aimed at securing biometric information within the passport. The new passport supports Extended Access Control that improves security to the on-chip biometric information. It also grants the passport reading rights to authorized readers and, at the same time, refuse access by unauthorized individuals. Source: the register.com; Germany rolls out ePassport II (November 11th, 2007)
• Top 14 Innovations in Security
  A magazine recently list a number of innovations for the security industry. Out of the 14 innovations, 10 were biometrics-related technologies. The newest technology developed is the use of finger veins for identification. They include finger vein verification and the use of finer vein identification system in a steering wheel. Despite the long history of fingerprints recognition, the applications of such technology remain to be innovative. “Pay-by-finger” is increasingly a common means for payment, especially for children whom paying through credit cards are inappropriate. Credit card verification along with fingerprints enhanced the payment security. Recent DHS adoption of REAL ID is another means of increasing security of the country through driving licenses facilitated by the use of biometrics. Biometric access safe is also a way of increasing storage safety. Iris scanning technology, 3D face recognition, face recognition software for computers and enabling robots to read faces are the other innovations identified by the magazine. Source: trendhunter.com; Top 14 innovations in Security (October 30th, 2007)
• Britain Introduces biometric visas in China
  The British Embassy in Beijing officially announced the implementation of biometric visas on 25th October 2007. As an effort to implement worldwide biometric identification process, the government of United Kingdom has been collecting biometric data from all visa applicants. The biometric visas have already been introduced in the United States and more than 100 countries. UK is the first member-state in EU to implement biometric visas worldwide. The introduction of biometric visa is said to be a major improvement over the existing system. As the number of students, leisure and business travelers increases, the new system can improve the efficiency of the visa processing, which will eventually lead to stronger ties between United Kingdom and China. Source: findbiometrics.com; Britain introduces biometric visas in China (October 25th, 2007)
• Global market for Biometrics Slated for High Growth Through 2012
  According to a research performed by BCC research titled “The Global Biometrics Market”, the market for biometrics is expected to be valued at $7.1 billion by 2012, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 21.3%. Fingerprint verification will account for 38% of the global market in 2012, followed by face recognition technique. The forecasted growth of fingerprint technology is due to the decrease in the price of fingerprint sensors that allows the technology to be more widely adapted, especially by governments, which created huge demand for biometric identification. Currently, the demand for biometric identification in the West is the largest because of better acceptance and government initiatives in adopting biometric passports. The market in Asian countries will be growing rapidly in the coming years, as the technology becomes more accepted and the economies become more mature. Source: Busineswire.com; Global Market for Biometrics Slated for High Growth through 2012 according to BCC research (October 23rd, 2007)
• Shoplifters prevention with Biometric Technology
  Shoplifting is always a concern for retailers. Most shoplifters are casual, however there are groups who shoplift for profits, which becomes a serious problem for any retail shops and society, at large. The traditional method of installing convex mirrors and security guards can now be assisted by biometric technologies . Biometrics can be applied to retails shops, in order to prevent shoplifting. Each customer who enters the shop can be detected and matched with a stored database of criminals. Shoplifters who visited the shop can easily be identified and appropriate actions can be taken to prevent any loss. Source: itweb.co.za; Biometrics takes on shoplifters (October 12th, 2007)