Amazon expands its palm biometric payment to healthcare

Amazon is one of the major companies to introduce palm biometric payment and the e-commerce giant is now expanding the system to healthcare.

The Amazon One biometric authentication system was first introduced at Amazon Go cashierless retail stores in Seattle before it was deployed to the Whole Foods grocery chain. Now, Amazon One will be implemented at NYU Langone Health facilities.

It will be the palm-scanning platform’s first application in healthcare with Amazon One deployed across the six hospitals and more than 320 outpatient centers that NYU Langone operates. NYU Langone patients will be able to check in for appointments using Amazon One.

Speaking to CNBC, NYU Langone executive Andrew Rubin said the technology is expected to streamline check-ins, reduce admin for front office staff and decrease wait times. Addressing privacy concerns, the medical organization said Amazon will not store or access any patient health data or personal information beyond palm prints, as Amazon One users must sign-up to use the palm payment system. Patients can opt out at any time while participation is voluntary.

The technology is anticipated to reduce the time patients spend at front desks, currently two to three minutes, down to less than a minute, which adds up to significant time savings for the more-than 10 million patients who visit annually. Palm biometric authentication has been credited for its high accuracy, said to be greater than that of fingerprints or face biometrics, and convenience, while biometric authentication can reduce fraud and administrative errors.

NYU Langone said the Amazon One will be available at sites in the New York metro area from next week, with expansion to other locations expected later this year. NYU Langone will be the largest third-party implementation of Amazon One yet.

UAE banks to launch palm biometric payment system

The United Arab Emirates is going big on palm biometrics as the Middle Eastern country prepares to make palm payments standard across all banks.

Launching under the promo “Your vein, your identity”, the project will see the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) joining forces with UAE banks in deploying the system.

Saif Al Zaabi, service development branch manager at ICP, said registering will involve scanning an individual’s face and the veins of their palm, linking the two together, and allowing banks to use the biometric information. Al Zaabi said palm biometrics are more accurate than fingerprints as fingerprint patterns tend to change as a person ages.

The project was on display at the UAE Innovates 2025 Exhibition, a month-long event held annually that just celebrated its tenth anniversary, and which also exhibited “Smart Travel” at Zayed International Airport. The collaborative initiative sees face biometrics deployed at the airport so that showing passports or interacting with officials is not required.

Recently, a global head for J.P Morgan Payments said palm-based biometrics are a “crucial component” for the company’s overall biometric strategy as major players such as Visa, Tencent, and Mastercard deploy the technology along with implementations in various cities around the world.

Article Topics

Amazon  |  Amazon One  |  biometric payments  |  biometrics  |  healthcare  |  palm biometrics  |  palm vein authentication  |  patient identification  |  UAE