Seahawks draft Clear digital health credential as biometrics supply challenges and tools for pandemic response

A deployment of biometric technology from Clear for COVID-19 transmission prevention by the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League has been announced, as businesses and institutions attempt to steer their way to safe reopening. Subway passengers in New York are lowering their masks, and the system is asking Apple to help them keep their guard up, while the SEC has settled a case of alleged COVID-tech fraud, and new tools have been announced by Seek Thermal and Solos Health Analytics to support safe returns to work.

The Seattle Seahawks have connected with Clear for a partnership to screen the health of the team’s personnel, including players, coaches and staff for COVID-19 prevention at its Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC) training facility and CenturyLink Field.

Health Pass by Clear, which was launched in May to link personal health data to digital identity with biometrics, will allow the Seahawks to associate real-time health survey information with the user’s verified identity.

“We are honored to assist the Seattle Seahawks players, coaches and staff in creating a safer workplace and greater peace of mind as they return to the field. Whether it’s airports or sports, CLEAR’s trusted technology is helping create safer environments,” says Clear CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker.

“As we implement necessary measures for a safe return to football, CLEAR’s Health Pass offers an innovative, easy-to-use screening tool that will assist us in our enhanced health and safety protocols to protect the wellbeing of everyone who enters our buildings,” adds Chip Suttles, Seahawks Vice President of Technology.

New York wants help to keep subway riders’ masks on

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has asked Apple to provide an easier way for iPhone users to unlock their devices while wearing masks.

A letter from MTA Chairman Patrick Foye to Apple CEO Tim Cook, obtained by The Associated Press, says subway riders have been noted lowering their masks to gain access to their Apple devices with Face ID. This despite a recent update by Apple to make it easier for people to use a passcode instead of biometrics to unlock their device by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

Before that update, Face ID would attempt to match the user’s face for several seconds before offering a passcode option.

The letter from Foye includes an offer to collaborate with Apple on messaging to inform users about and recent changes. Apple said in an email that it is committed to working with the MTA.

MTA ridership has bounced back partially from a 90 percent decrease in riders at the peak of COVID-19 transmission in New York, and the authority says more than 90 percent of those using the system wear some sort of face covering.

SEC settles temperature scan scam allegations

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has settled with a company accused of making misleading claims about a thermal scanning system for fever detection, Law360 writes.

Turbo Global Partners is alleged to have promoted a “public-private partnership” it was involved with to supply government entities with thermal scanners as an exclusive distributor. No such agreement existed, the SEC said in its complaint. The equipment provider announced a strategic partnership with Chinese manufacturer BeMotion, but the suit says the agreement was never finalized.

A subsequent press release mentioned communications between Turbo’s CEO and the governors of all 50 states, plus retail giants Target and Walmart. Those communications were misrepresented, the SEC complained, as they referred only to unsolicited emails and faxes.

The SEC accused the company and its CEO of making misleading claims to increase its share price by exploiting the COVID-19 crisis.

Body temperature checking solutions launched

Seek Thermal has launched a set of APIs to integrate its body temperature screening solutions with access control, VMS, and other network applications.

The Seek Scan thermal imaging system retails for $1,995, and offers face detection and scanning, along with elevated body temperature alerts. The system meets the accuracy specification within FDA guidelines with a reference heat source (black body), and scanning people one at a time from a fixed distance.

The new APIs enable seek scan to be networked and integrated with other systems to enable business owners to manage operations.

Solos Health Analytics has introduced its FeverGuard wearable to provide early warning of potential fevers and provide opt-in contact tracing.

The company is pitching the wearable for essential workers, the U.S. military, healthcare and educational institutions, sports and entertainment venues, first responders, the food service, hospitality and travel industries, retail settings, warehouse workers and delivery drivers, and quarantined groups.

“Our new wearable is a simple, low-cost solution to get people safely and quickly back to work, help government officials carefully reopen their economies, and stop the spread of an infectious virus. Early fever detection stops the spread, helps save lives and avoids business disruptions,” comments Mark Lewis, Solos Health Analytics founder and CEO.

“FeverGuard is the first solution of its kind that can learn a person’s unique temperature pattern and recognize any irregularity from each person’s baseline. No other method offers continuous monitoring and instant alerts. By giving immediate, continuous feedback on health status, FeverGuard is a game changer.”

Article Topics

access control  |  biometrics  |  CLEAR  |  digital identity  |  Face ID  |  fever detection  |  Health Pass by Clear  |  mobile app  |  SEEK  |  Solos Health Analytics  |  temperature monitoring  |  wearables