Automated breathalyzer kiosk features Integrated Biometrics’ scanner

Apr 18, 2018 | Chris Burt

Categories Biometrics News | Fingerprint Recognition

An automated breathalyzer kiosk featuring fingerprint biometrics from Integrated Biometrics has been launched by Breathalytics to free parole and probation officers from having to carry out sobriety tests manually.

Roughly 80 percent of criminal offences in the U.S. involve substance abuse, according to the announcement, and law enforcement and criminal justice programs have increased drug and alcohol testing in response, despite staffing and budgetary challenges. Beginning parole or probation meetings with tests conducted by officers undermines the personal relationships they are expected to build with offenders, as well as drawing their time away from other duties.

“Breathalytics’ fresh approach to sobriety testing is a smart, unexpected identity management solution,” added Stephen Thies, Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Biometrics. “It’s another example of how the creative application of biometric hardware and advanced software delivers new ways to save time and money and improve lives for almost any market.”

The FBI Appendix F-certified Watson Mini two-finger scanner from Integrated Biometrics verifies the identity of each parolee to prevent cheating, and the Breathalytics kiosk also provides facial recognition for an additional authentication layer. A camera also records the process, which takes about 30 seconds, to provide a record.

“We needed a compact biometric sensor that’s extremely rugged and doesn’t need regular maintenance,” said David Kreitzer, CEO of Breathalytics. “Watson Mini is a perfect fit. It provides the identity verification input we needed to bring this product to market, as well as the reliability that our automated approach to sobriety testing requires.”

Breathalytics solution is modular, so it can also be deployed for remote testing.

Integrated Biometrics recently donated a number of Kojak fingerprint scanners to Mexican NGO Una Torre de Ayuda to assist with identification as part of the country’s earthquake recovery efforts.