Trust Stamp launches biometric privacy-preserving location tracking, Tech5 and iComply offer remote ID support

A new tool to provide biometric privacy-protecting location-tracking has been launched by Trust Stamp, leveraging the company’s core technology with cryptographic anonymization and matching algorithms.

The new Safe14.com is intended to support calculated quarantining that protects civil liberties. The company says current systems involve intrusive surveillance and economic damage, plus the creation of centralized databases of personal information. Safe14 transforms facial biometric data from periodic selfies irreversibly to establish the authenticated user’s “Trusted Presence” with a multi-modality location beacon. Location data is encrypted for storage with only tokenized identity data. The data is interrogated on a zero-knowledge-proof basis, by means of the user presenting a QR code stored in the mobile device, along with the biometric selfie.

The risk of spoofing is reduced with Trust Stamp’s bank-level security metrics, according to the announcement.

Trust Stamp recently patented a touchless fingerprint biometric solution to serve public health, information security, and individual privacy needs. Trust Stamp says the new technology launch builds on its Humanitarian and Development collaborations with Mastercard, which recently made a strategic investment in the company.

“Personal identifying information can be used outside of the scope of necessity, blanketed by a lack of transparency,” comments Trust Stamp CEO and Co-founder Gareth Genner. “The pernicious nature of misuse is accentuated when the line between need and abuse is blurred. By anonymizing all identifying data, we can help governments and NGOs to leverage the granular information needed to fight the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining individual dignity, autonomy, and security during this extraordinary time in human history.”

Genner says that all the systems he has seen rely on GPS data that can be spoofed, and track only the device, not necessarily the person, unless they impose locked wearables he says are expensive and intrusive.

Trust Stamp has filed for patents on the intellectual property behind Safe14 in the U.S. and UK, but is inviting governments, healthcare organizations, NGOs and other non-profits to contact the company to enquire about zero-cost licensing in support of public health.

Tech5 opens touchless biometric technology for developers supporting crisis management

Tech5 is offering a biometric rapid deployment kit to help businesses develop and implement touchless biometrics for COVID-19 crisis management.

The company will provide biometric technology SDKs, mobile platforms and services to companies serving government authorities by providing tools for managing the crisis while preserving security and privacy, according to the announcement. Touchless facial and fingerprint biometric technologies and internationally benchmarked multi-modal recognition technologies which Tech5 says provide high accuracy are provided. The initiative is open to the company’s partner base, and other companies requesting quick development for applications such as quarantine management, and safe work resumption.

“We are proud to provide our deployment expertise and latest technologies to help speed up development and improvement of mobile applications that address the need to monitor and manage the spread of COVID-19,” TECH5 CTO Rahul Parthe says. “By becoming one of the beacons in the global resistance against the virus, such applications can help governments and individuals to cooperate in aggregating important data, which may become a fundamental tool for tracking individual cases to keep the overall impact of the disease under control. We are aggressively working on technologies for dealing with the next critical phase of bringing life back to normal, which is as important as controlling the pandemic.”

“Implementation of biometric-based applications for remote verification and health check is an important step on the way to efficient pandemic management,” notes Ahmedabad city DCP Ravi Vasamashetty Teja. He also notes that Tech5’s technology has been deployed through a partnership with Maharaja Associate to an app for transmitting proof of identity with health status and location in India’s Gujrat State, with a population of 62.7 million people, and that the application could be scaled nationwide.

iComply to provide $2 million in grants to support remote community and social services

iComply has announced the launch of the $2 million iComply for Good Services Grant, to support remote operations for community organizations and social services by covering between a quarter and all of the costs associated with the company’s identification products, services, and data.

The iComply for Good Services Grant is intended to build capacity through technology, scale impact through the automation of business processes, empower organizations for remote operations, and inspire creative ways to give back to communities. Organizations in healthcare, government, online education, charitable work and community services and relief will be prioritized in the grant assessment process.

The funds will be delivered through government agencies, registered charities, and community organizations.

Grants will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Article Topics

biometric data  |  biometrics  |  contactless biometrics  |  iComply  |  mobile app  |  multi-modal  |  privacy  |  remote authentication  |  SDK  |  TECH5  |  Trust Stamp