Biometric access control solution upgraded by Alcatraz, Idemia partners with Honeywell

A number of biometrics companies providing access control solutions have updated their platforms this week, while others have completed partnerships to expand their offerings.

Alcatraz has added Three-Factor Authentication (3FA) to its Rock facial authentication platform, and Idemia has partnered with Honeywell on biometric authentication for smart buildings.

In addition, Aeroturn Turnstiles announced a partnership with Siemens to work on biometric access control in a multiple-building campus and HID Global released its 2021 State of Physical Access Control (PAC) Report.

Alcatraz updates Rock platform

Alcatraz has upgraded its Rock facial authentication access control platform to include Three-Factor Authentication (3FA).

In one-factor authentication mode, the Rock uses its face biometrics algorithms to grant users access, while in two-factor authentication, the program adds a badge reader to confirm correct user identification.

With 3FA, Alcatraz is now offering users the possibility of authenticating themselves with biometrics, plus two additional access control devices, including badge and PIN readers.

“Three Factor Authentication using a biometric like facial authentication in the Alcatraz Rock

platform is really one of the most secure ways to control access,” states Alcatraz Chief Revenue Officer Tina D’Agostin. “At Alcatraz, we have worked to leverage the Rock to work as that third authentication factor so that data centers, government entities, nuclear plants, the military, and similar organizations can provide the secure protection they are required to deliver.”

The Rock aims to replace or augment badging as a credential using facial recognition, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence to provide secure and frictionless entry into physical locations.

Honeywell partners with Idemia

Industrial automation giant Honeywell has announced a new collaborative partnership with Idemia to work on the creation of an intelligent building ecosystem featuring biometric access solutions.

In this new integration, Honeywell’s security and building management solutions will be integrated within Idemia’s contactless biometrics-based access control systems for easy and secure building access.

The ecosystem will provide occupants with several services, including vehicle recognition at the car park, automatic elevator calls, biometric-based access and personalized conference room settings, according to the announcement. The next-generation solutions also provide data privacy and a more comfortable experience that can help building owners attract tenants, the companies say.

Idemia’s contactless fingerprint scanner MorphoWave, which captures four fingerprints in less than a second, its VisionPass facial recognition terminal, and Augmented Vision biometric video analytics platform now integrate with Honeywell’s security and business management systems. Idemia products now also support Honeywell’s Healthy Building solutions.

Aeroturn Turnstiles joins forces with Siemens

Turnstile manufacturer Aeroturn has partnered with Siemens to sell its products to an unnamed U.S. family housing finance leader for integration with facial recognition readers.

The project will see the companies work on access control solutions for a five-building campus, and will include integration with biometric devices with high throughput capabilities, according to the announcement.

“Aeroturn has been working closely with Siemens to ensure a seamless installation of our X-wing turnstile, which offers durability, reliability, our 5-year warranty & zero maintenance mechanisms, and a 10 million passages guarantee,” commented Michael Stoll, VP of Technical Sales and Marketing at Aeroturn.

The project will see the deployment of 15 lanes of Aeroturn X-wing turnstiles with a customized biometric reader interface within a one-year timeframe, while other HQ buildings are currently in the initial specifying stages.

HID Global releases 2021 PAC report

Many security professionals believe that biometric, touchless solutions are the key driver to upgrade physical access systems, particularly due to the pandemic, according to the 2021 State of Physical Access Control Report from HID Global.

More than half of the companies surveyed have confirmed they are currently investing in mobile as the single most impactful technology-shaping access control. More than half also either have biometrics deployed within their access control systems, or are planning to deploy them as part of an upgrade.

At the same time, the report shows tensions between planning and investing in physical security, with some companies still relying on aging legacy and less secure technologies while making the transition to safer biometrics-powered systems.

Touchless and contactless solutions are considered the most impactful way to improve access control systems by just over 23 percent of survey respondents, followed by integrated physical and logical access control (18.5 percent) and then biometrics (11.4 percent).

The document is based on over 1000 responses to the 2020 Access Control Systems Trends Survey conducted by HID Global, ASIS International, and 1105 Media Inc. in the summer of 2020, and explores industry trends.

Article Topics

access control  |  Alcatraz AI  |  authentication  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  contactless biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  HID  |  IDEMIA