Biometric Update

Safe Child Chat Room Creators Seek Ties With Social Networking Sites

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:32:57 +0000

A company that focuses on making the web a safer place for children wants to build relationships with social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.The company, safeTspace, creates social networking sites for children to chat safely.

Chris Hagenbuch is one of safeTspace’s three founders, along with Randy Herold and Andrew Razumovsky.

All three are parents who worked together for the Department of Homeland Security.

“Many social networking sites allow users to enter their own ages, effectively relying on the honor system,” Hagenbuch said in a statement Jan. 28. “Our solution is the first and only one available today that verifies a user’s identity in-person and continues to check the user through biometrics.”

To join safeTspace, a child must have parental permission, register in person and have fingerprints taken. Representatives who register the children go through background checks before being hired.

When a child wants to enter one of safeTspace’s sites, the child places his or her index finger on a fingerprint reader attached to a computer.

Ceelox Sponsors John Ashcroft Keynote Address at InfoSec World 2008

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:21:11 +0000

Former U.S. Attorney General John D. Ashcroft will discuss the critical need for innovative security technologies that strike a balance between access, privacy and usability in a keynote address at InfoSec World 2008 sponsored by Ceelox, an industry leader in biometric software and encryption solutions.“Personal and corporate data continues to be compromised at an alarming rate, in part because people are reluctant to use security tools that are too cumbersome to incorporate into their regular routines,” said Gerry Euston, CEO, Ceelox. “But effective security solutions do exist that strike a balance between convenience, security and privacy. Biometrics in particular allow virtually anyone or any business, with little or no inconvenience, to protect their proprietary information to a greater degree than ever before.”

Ashcroft will deliver “Defending Liberty: The Inescapable Imperative for Technology Innovation” at InfoSec, which takes place in Orlando, Fla. March 11-12. His address will touch on a number of critical areas, including the relationship between security and liberty, the fundamental right of individuals and businesses to protect both their information and privacy and the emergence of biometrics as a solution to the most pressing information security issues.

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Asia Pacific Public Sector to Squeeze More Out of IT in 2008

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:10:45 +0000

CIO - Asia is reporting tha getting the maximum value out of IT infrastructure and resources will become the top IT trend in the government sector in Asia Pacific this year, predicted Government Insights in a report.The annual report, covering the top 10 predictions for the government sector in 2008 in the Asia/Pacific region excluding Japan (APEJ), is called Asia/Pacific Government 2008 Top 10 Predictions, January 2008. The economic benefits from technology are driving governments to further optimise the value of IT investments, said Raphael Phang, research director of Government Insights Asia/Pacific, a research and advisory firm.

“In 2008, upcoming next-generation technologies, such as Web 2.0, virtualisation, mobile technologies and biometrics, will take centre stage,” he added.

Telisma and PerSay Partner to Combine the Power of Speech Recognition and Voice Biometrics

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:05:48 +0000

Telisma, a leader in network speech recognition technology, announces a partnership with PerSay, the leading provider of advanced voice biometric solutions that integrates offerings from the two companies to provide more comprehensive voice solutions for customers.Voice biometric technologies take advantage of the fact that each person’s voice is a unique and unobtrusive identifier, like a fingerprint. For contact centers that support banking, telecommunications and other industries, voice biometrics proves to be a cost-effective way to enhance security and improve customer convenience.

Telisma makes it easier for partners and customers to deploy speech technologies in multiple languages across various countries via its speech recognition software, teliSpeech. “Our partnership with PerSay will enable us to broaden the availability of our speech recognition solutions worldwide, and provide customers with the most accurate and cost-effective speaker verification technology available, “said Laurent Balaine, CEO of telisma. “We’re pleased to announce this relationship with PerSay, and confident that it will create mutual advantages for both companies and their customers.”

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AOptix Adds VP of Operations to Launch Biometrics Iris Product

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:46:48 +0000

AOptix Technologies, Inc., a leading edge developer of advanced iris recognition and ultra-high bandwidth laser communication systems, announces the hiring of Doug McNeil as Vice President of Operations.

Prior to joining AOptix, Doug was VP of Engineering for Visyx, where he served since its formation in 2006. He was responsible for managing the product development team and disciplined process implementation to advance R&D sensor platforms into highly engineered commercial products.

In 2005 Doug was Director of Engineering and Manufacturing Operations for Symyx Technologies where he helped develop a multi-parametric sensor to support automotive, instrument and process control measurement technologies.

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Sagem Sécurité to Provide Interpol with Latest Version of AFIS, Automated Fingerprint Identification System

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:34:05 +0000

Sagem Sécurité (SAFRAN Group) and Interppol announced that Sagem Sécurité will supply Interpol and its 186 member states with the latest version of its automated fingerprint identification system, MetaMorpho™. The announcement is part of a detailed agreement signed on Jan. 10.

In addition to automated processing, this new-generation system features the latest algorithms developed by Sagem Sécurité, as well as fingerprint acquisition and transmission software in full compliance with international standards. The latest version of the MetaMorpho AFIS will accelerate communications between Interpol headquarters in Lyon and the member states, enrich the fingerprint database, and increase the inquiry success rate.

“More highly automated searches give the end-user more control over the process,” explained Mark Branchflower, head of the fingerprint unit at Interpol. “This means that each national office will be able to develop its own work process, signaling real progress for Interpol and its member-states.”

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L-1 Identity Solutions modernize Panama’s National and Voter Registration ID system

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:14:32 +0000

L-1 Identity Solutions extends their relationship with the Tribunal Electoral de Panama to upgrade the country’s multi-purpose National ID system which also serves as Panama’s voter registration system and help Panama prepare for the 2009 Presidential elections. Under the terms of the $3.7 million contract, L-1 will deliver a complete multi-biometric solution that includes new enrollment devices, an upgrade of the biometric national registry, and integration services.

The Tribunal Electoral de Panama currently operates a two-finger database system of close to two million records that is used to vet individuals who apply for a new card or renew an existing credential to ensure there are no duplicates in the system.

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South Africa to get Smart IDs

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:57:50 +0000

South Africans should start seeing the new smart ID card by the end of 2009, as the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) reviews all its IT projects, director-general Mavuso Msimang says.

Speaking at a parliamentary media briefing yesterday, Msimang said the smart ID card system was being developed because the current green ID document had proven to be susceptible to being forged and tampered with.

“Last year, we issued a request for information from a number of potential suppliers so we could get an idea of the costs we were getting ourselves into. These RFIs have been evaluated and we should be issuing a request for proposals soon,” he said.

Read the full story here …

Biometric smart card for Social Security proposed

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:51:41 +0000

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is proposing a new Social Security card that would be based on the same technology the U.S. Department of Defense uses for the Common Access Card.

The new Social Security card would have a photo, magnetic stripe, bar code and microprocessor chip that would contain users biometric. Exactly how individuals would obtain the card and which biometric would be stored on it were not specified.

Kirk is proposing the legislation and high-tech ID to help prevent identity theft. The card would also enable employers to validate the Social Security number.

The legislation would require anyone older than 15 to obtain a new card. It’s estimated that the new card would cost almost $8 each, compared to the 50 cents they now cost.

Read the full story here.

Booz Allen Wins Air Force Biometrics Work

admin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:37:52 +0000

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. has won a contract worth $6.3 million to conduct a biometrics research project at the request of the Air Force, the Defense Department announced yesterday.

Under the contract, the McLean, Va., company will help conduct research for a new 3-D facial recognition biometrics program, DOD said.

The company will conduct the research at the Information Assurance Technical Analysis Center in Herndon, Va. As part of its work, the company will produce a final technical report detailing its findings. IATAC conducts scientific and technical research for DOD.