The Exodus Road deploys Identy.io contactless biometrics to fight human trafficking

American biometric authentication firm Identy.io is supplying its contactless fingerprint and face biometrics application to The Exodus Road as part of a partnership to address human trafficking.

The firm will donate its fingerprint scanning and facial recognition system to the Colorado-based non-profit to assist law enforcement officers in their work of identifying missing persons who have been trafficked, says an announcement.

The contactless mobile biometric system, the partners say, will be vital in expediting the identification of persons who are suspected of being trafficked, which can be crucial for ensuring their rescue in a timely manner.

The Exodus Road works in partnership with law enforcement agencies to identify trafficking victims, assist in rescue operations, and follow up on the arrest of suspects.

Identy.io’s system, which a few months ago earned a high accuracy ranking by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), can be used with just a smartphone and a LED flash, thereby reducing the costs that could be incurred with other costly AFIS systems, according to the announcement.

“As a nexus crime, human trafficking cases are notoriously complex. The horrendous nature of the exploitation victims experience demands quick action,” said Matt Parker, chief investigative officer and co-founder of The Exodus Road.

“We’re grateful to Identy.io for donating its touchless scanning, which will be revolutionary in maximizing law enforcement resources and expediting the ability to identify victims.”

Also speaking on the partnership, the CEO and co-founder of Identy.io, Jesús Aragón, said “in a digital-first world, law enforcement should have the ability to quickly identify an individual using just a smartphone, and our technology makes that happen.”

“When I first heard about The Exodus Road and the work its team is doing to combat these heinous crimes, getting involved was the obvious choice,” he added.

The system’s native SDK can facilitate integration with other apps, making fingerprint scanning and recognition easier on a regular smartphone.

The Exodus Road says it has contributed to the freeing of more than 6,000 persons trafficked, and assisted in the arrest of about 1,800 suspects since it started operations in 2012.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  contactless biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  Identy  |  SDK