Atos develops access control system to manage biometric screening for Olympic participants

Digital transformation company Atos has developed an Advanced Access Control System (AACS) to integrate and manage NEC’s facial recognition system and solutions and equipment from Panasonic to control the facility entry of some 300,000 people involved in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Atos is a worldwide IT partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and is planning to use IC chips for the first time to manage a security access system that spans more than 350 entry points across 43 official competition and non-competition venues, such as the International Broadcast Center (IBC) the Main Press Center (MPC), and the Olympic Village, according to the announcement. The official pass which along with the biometric screening provides access to Olympic venues also acts as a visa waiver for Japan.

The use of facial recognition is reported to be the first of its kind, after the NEC technology was tested at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero.

“We are proud to fulfill our role as Worldwide IT Partner of the International Olympic Committee by supporting Tokyo 2020 in providing a safe environment for all participants,” states Patrick Adiba, Atos Executive Vice President and CEO of Olympic Games and Major Events. “By collaborating with other tech partners, we will be able to organize a historic facial recognition accreditation entry system which will significantly reduce fraud, error and waiting time at entry point. We are thrilled to provide this innovative solution to contribute to ensuring a secure setting for the Games, full of passion and excitement.”

Atos has supplied IT solutions for the Olympics since 1992, and provided all key IT systems for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games over the cloud, which the company says is a first.

Atos is best known by some in the biometrics industry as the company that attempted to acquire Gemalto in 2017, with a proposal that Gemalto ultimately rejected.

Article Topics

access management  |  Atos  |  biometrics  |  NEC  |  Olympics  |  Panasonic