Nymi wearable for biometric passwordless access control adds worker alert system and contact tracing

Version 3.0 of the biometric Nymi Band is now available, bringing an alert system for social distancing and COVID-19 contact tracing, in addition to the zero-trust security principles and access control with fingerprint or heartbeat recognition.

Nymi says the biometric wearable enables multiple industries to incorporate passwordless technology with applications to ensure the health and safety of workers.

The company saw minor delays from customer’s vendor management during the initial stages of COVID-19 lockdowns, but beyond that has observed very little change in demand from the verticals it traditionally serves, Nymi CEO Chris Sullivan told Biometric Update in an email.

“We see strong demand for the band in DX programs across industries,” he says. “Especially where the physicality of active workers is core to the value chain. This includes workers who may be wearing protective gear, moving in and out of spaces, and are frequently doing things with their hands (such as tapping badges or typing passwords). These industries have typically underachieved with DX initiatives because it has been difficult to blend these workers into the digital space. The Nymi band is easy to use, and removes security, privacy and other challenges for these workers.”

The company notes in the press release that digital transformation efforts are expected to generate $1.3 trillion in spending this year, as businesses seek to digitally enhance the effectiveness of workers.

Users are bound to the band through fingerprint and heart rhythm registration to the wristband, which uses ‘On-Body Detection (OBD)’ and presence assurance to confirm that the band is being worn by the intended user. The identity of each user is proven to the network cryptographically, and users’ biometric data never leaves the Nymi band, the company emphasizes in the announcement.

Connected workers can access buildings, workstations, or equipment with a touch-free proximity-based tap or gesture, the company says, or sign hundreds of digital documents per day without reauthenticating themselves.

Contact logs for authorized personnel can be stored by Nymi services to provide intelligence on the spread of illnesses like COVID-19, and prevent it.

Nymi partnered with Werum IT Solutions on an authentication tool specifically for the pharmaceuticals and biotech industries at the beginning of this year.

The company already works with 9 of the top 10 pharma companies, according to Sullivan, a total addressable market of a million users. Nymi has other notable customers in financial services, medical device manufacturing and smart cities in the Middle East.

“Nymi’s ability to assist with contact tracing and social distancing expands the pool of industries and companies that could be customers – frankly, any company that wants to ensure the health and safety of their employees specific to COVID-19 can benefit from our technology,” Sullivan writes. “The same technology that can help with the safe return to work can also be used for a number of other applications that help with security, DX and productivity, which for many companies are still a significant concern today.”

Article Topics

access control  |  biometric data  |  biometrics  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  heartbeat biometrics  |  monitoring  |  Nymi  |  Nymi Band  |  wearables