BT/ Samsung expands 3D sensor lineup with face, iris biometrics capabilities

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Paradigm

29 min readJan 15, 2024

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Biometrics biweekly vol. 80, 1st January — 15th January

TL;DR

Samsung Electronics introduced two new ISOCELL Vizion sensors — a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor, the ISOCELL Vizion 63D, and a global shutter sensor, the ISOCELL Vizion 931
New WEF cybersecurity report underscores the need for biometric solutions
To grow biometric datasets, Google and Telus will pay $50 for short videos of children
BioConnect adds asset management to biometric safes with acquisition
ZeroBiometrics signs up the Web3 insurance platform for biometric ZKP authentication
BIO-key authentication deployed to boost security for retail, governments in Europe
Passkey orchestration platform integrates Xperix flagship biometric scanner
Automotive biometrics turned inside-out at CES with trinamiX access control system
UNHCR embraces blockchain, and zero-knowledge proofs to improve aid systems
NADRA pens deal to pursue domestic biometric, digital ID-related services offering
Intellicheck aces an independent fake ID detection test
IDNow adds to age verification bona fides with German compliance assessment
Trust Stamp files patent for tokenized biometrics, inks IoT collaboration
SecuGen exapnds beyond biometrics with smart payment and ID card reader
Ekemp wins MOSIP compliance for new integrated biometric device
Aware partners with Avanza to provide biometric authentication to MEA fintech
ThreatMark anti-fraud behavioral biometrics integrated by digital bank
Voice clone detection software from ID R&D tackles potent new AI-assisted threat
US Homeland Security asking after synthetic data systems
DNA collection from Chinese minority groups for biometrics research raises alarms
User IDs and passport data leaks for 230K crypto users in Iran
India counts on Aadhaar authentication to reduce tax registration fraud
Taiwan regulator says banks, fintech should push digital ID verification envelope
Selfie biometrics app for farmers launches in Australia; digital ID program looms
Indonesia to roll out digital ID, other DPI platforms this year
Biometric chip passports get priority in Israel, Pakistan and Russia
UK legal charity decries use of biometric immigrant monitoring device
Family members of expatriates must register fingerprints in Saudi Arabia
Gabon gets $68.5M World Bank loan to facilitate access to legal ID, digital services
Next Biometrics wins new $1.15M volume order amid steady Asian market breakthrough
A team of researchers at BYU has developed a fraud detection keystroke tracking system that correctly identifies when a user types in someone else’s information with 95.5% accuracy
Columbia engineers have built a new AI that shatters a long-held belief in forensics–that fingerprints from different fingers of the same person are unique
Researchers claim improved small object detection with multi-modal 3D network
Biometric industry events. And more!

Biometrics Market

The Biometric system market size is projected to grow from USD 36.6 billion in 2020 to USD 68.6 billion by 2025; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.4% during the forecast period. Increasing use of biometrics in consumer electronic devices for authentication and identification purposes, the growing need for surveillance and security with the heightened threat of terrorist attacks, and the surging adoption of biometric technology in automotive applications are the major factors propelling the growth of the biometric system market.

Biometric Research & Development

Latest Research:

Researchers develop keystroke biometrics with 95.5% fraud detection accuracy

A team of researchers at BYU has developed a fraud detection keystroke tracking system that correctly identifies when a user types in someone else’s information with 95.5 percent accuracy, according to a recent study. Such a system would be able to detect instances of fraud where a bad actor is inputting stolen PII.

The study tested the hypothesis that people develop muscle memory when typing out information that is familiar to them — like their own name and password. Individuals will use quicker, more fluid movements when writing out their own information than someone would when typing out stolen information.

BYU professors David Wilson and Jeffrey Jenkins as well as Joseph Valacich from the University of Arizona and David Kim from Texas Christian University developed a tracking system that analyzes keystroke dynamics to determine if the user is inputting their own information or not.

Researchers conducted four observational studies that included over 1,000 participants. The tracker determined when participants entered information belonging to others into online forms with 95.5 percent accuracy.

“When you watch how someone interacts with devices, you gain insight into mental processes,” Wilson said in comments to KSL. “Our motor movements and our cognitive activities are very intimately linked — subconsciously in many cases.”
Wilson said the experiment found that people display “very different behaviors” and “very different patterns of interaction,” when entering their own information versus someone else’s.

The identity fraud detection system is run on JavaScript, making it accessible to nearly every computing device we use today.

“All of our capture technology is based on a script that’s running behind the scenes in a browser,” Wilson explained. “JavaScript will keep track of timings and how things are being typed and then JavaScript reports that back to our servers.”

Implementing the system through JavaScript in the background also reduces friction by not adding additional verification steps, which is common in many fraud-detection methods. This would give financial institutions a new way to combat fraud without affecting conversion rates.

“It’s a low-friction way to flag, say, the 10 percent most suspicious-looking applications and then have that smaller population do a few high-friction things to verify their identity,” said Wilson.

The development comes in time for projected market growth. In 2022, the keystroke dynamics market size reached $390.6 million, according to IMARC services. It is projected to reach $1.4 billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 23.4 percent between 2023–2028. Keystroke dynamics also make up a major portion of the behavioral biometrics market pegged to reach $9 billion in value by 2031.

BYU professors develop keystroke-tracking tech to detect identity fraud

Just as every person has unique handwriting, people also have unique keystrokes they make while typing on a computer…

www.ksl.com

Researchers claim improved small object detection with multi-modal 3D network

A team of academic researchers has developed the Dynamic Point-Pixel Feature Alignment network, known as DPPFA-Net, to address the issue of accurately detecting small objects for robots and autonomous vehicles. When compared to other existing 3D object detection methods, this model demonstrated a significant improvement in average precision, achieving a 7.18 percent increase across various noise conditions.

Auto makers have been adding face biometrics to vehicles like the Genesis GV60 for door unlocking, even as smart automobile developers stake different positions on the kinds of optical sensors they need to meet the computer vision requirements of autonomous vehicles. A consensus on what kinds of cameras are needed for other applications may determine the imaging systems biometrics developers have to work with.

Despite the growing demand for autonomous vehicles and robotic automation solutions, object detection remains a complex task within AI workload. A critical aspect of this challenge involves the use of LiDAR sensors, which generate 3D point clouds that offer depth information about the surrounding environment. However, the LiDAR data is susceptible to noise, potentially causing errors in object detection.

To address this issue, a team led by Professor Hiroyuki Tomiyama from Ritsumeikan University in Japan has introduced a multi-modal 3D object detection approach that combines 3D LiDAR data with 2D RBG images captured by standard cameras. The research emphasizes the significance it holds in the field of robotics, as it enables robots to gain a better understanding of and adapt to their environment.

“Our study could facilitate a better understanding and adaptation of robots to their working environments, allowing a more precise perception of small targets,” explains Tomiyama. “Such advancements will help improve the capabilities of robots in various applications.”

The proposed system comprises several modules: a memory-based point-pixel fusion module (MPPF), a deformable point-pixel fusion module (DPPF), and a semantic alignment evaluator (SAE) module. These various specialized modules are integrated to enhance the accuracy and robustness of object detection in complex scenarios characterized by potential environmental noise.

The memory-based point-pixel fusion module facilitates the interaction among features within the same modality as well as across different modalities. The module utilizes 2D images as a memory bank, enabling the network to learn and adapt to noise in 3D point cloud data. In contrast, the deformable point-pixel fusion module focuses on interactions at specific pixel positions, maintaining high resolution while keeping computational complexity low.

“The DPPF module establishes interactions exclusively with key position pixels based on a sampling strategy. This design not only guarantees a low computational complexity but also enables adaptive fusion functionality, especially beneficial for high-resolution images. The SAE module guarantees semantic alignment of the fused features, thereby enhancing the robustness and reliability of the fusion process,” the researchers explain.

During the evaluation of the Dynamic Point-Pixel Feature Alignment network, the research team introduced artificial multi-modal noise into the KITTI dataset. According to the study’s findings, the proposed network stands out as one of the most advanced and accurate 3D object detection methods available.

AI innovates in forensic biometrics; finds not all fingerprints unique

An AI algorithm looked at multitudes of fingerprints in an uncommon way and reportedly learned that they are not as unique as they are assumed to be. There’s a big but non-fatal caveat. Duplicate and near-duplicate prints occur on multiple fingers of an individual’s hand, which makes them matchable. (For the time being, everyone has unique prints compared to others.)

Columbia University engineering researchers, at least some of whom had no experience in forensic biometrics, decided to use a deep contrastive network to see if all fingerprints are, indeed, unique. The research was led by an undergraduate who began the work as a first-year student.

They initially pointed the code at a NIST database of 60,000 fingerprints for intra-hand matching.

AI discovers a new way to compare fingerprints that seem different, but actually belong to different fingers of the same person. In contrast with traditional forensics, this AI relies mostly on the curvature of the swirls at the center of the fingerprint, as shown by the heatmap. Credit: Gabe Guo, Columbia Engineering; Midjourney generated silhouette.

The algorithm’s accuracy for one pair of prints reached 77 percent, according to the team. With multiple prints, it peaked at 88 percent. That’s not a record that would convince a competent lawyer to use the technique in court, but as the university says of the work, it could lead investigators to prioritize leads to reach perhaps surprising results. Further, training the system on millions of fingerprints could dramatically improve its accuracy.

A forensics journal described by the university as “well-established” rejected the researchers’ paper, on grounds that the uniqueness of every fingerprint is already established. It has now been accepted by the journal Science Advances.

The biometric algorithm’s apparent method (it’s not obvious how it worked) differed from a hundred years of standard operating procedures. It paid attention to the curves and angles of swirls at the center of the print, known as “the singularity,” rather than the branching and end points of print ridges, or minutiae, used to date.

The results were similar across subjects of different races and genders. Next steps include analyzing data from a more diverse sample of people.

AI Discovers That Not Every Fingerprint Is Unique

Columbia engineers have built a new AI that shatters a long-held belief in forensics-that fingerprints from different…

www.engineering.columbia.edu

Main News:

Samsung expands 3D sensor lineup with face, iris biometrics capabilities

Samsung has introduced two new sensors as part of its Isocell Vizion family, aimed at improving machine vision technology. These sensors are specifically designed to enhance 3D imaging and improve image clarity in motion, one with noteworthy potential facial recognition and iris biometrics applications.

The Isocell Vizion 63D incorporates Time-of-Flight technology, which measures the time it takes for light to travel from the sensor, bounce off an object, and return to the sensor. This technology is utilized to create 3D representations of the surrounding environment, making it particularly valuable for virtual and augmented reality applications, including iris biometrics, facial detection and gesture detection. To construct a three-dimensional sense, the sensor measures the phase shift between the emitted and reflected light, which is a key differentiator in iToF technology, providing high accuracy.

Samsung claims that this iToF sensor integrates depth-sensing hardware ISP, allowing it to process 3D depth information without external assistance. Samsung says that the sensor’s ability to capture detailed 3D images makes it important for high-resolution secure facial recognition systems. In the past, the company has already used ToF sensors on Galaxy smartphones to implement face biometrics.

The company says the Vizion 63D is well suited to facial authentication, as well as implementations in industrial robots and extended reality systems.

“Engineered with state-of-the-art sensor technologies, Samsung’s ISOCELL Vizion 63D and ISOCELL Vizion 931 will be essential in facilitating machine vision for future high-tech applications like robotics and extended reality (XR),” says Haechang Lee, executive vice president of the next generation sensor development team at Samsung Electronics.

The Isocell Vizion 931 sensor uses global shutter technology, enabling it to capture the entire image of fast-moving objects without distortions. This specific sensor finds its niche in dynamic environments, such as robotics, where precise monitoring and interaction with fast-moving components are crucial. The Isocell Vizion 931 combines global shutter technology with high resolution, advanced light sensitivity, and design flexibility for complex drone applications.

The Isocell Vizion 931 sensor is intended to address demand for the use of multiple cameras, such as in service and logistics robots, to capture the rapid movements in industrial environments. The sensor connects up to four cameras to the application processor through a single wire, simplifying the wiring process. This design flexibility provides advantages for devices with limited space and requiring multiple imaging viewpoints in their imaging capabilities.

To grow biometric datasets, Google and Telus will pay $50 for short videos of children

The question of how to train face biometrics algorithms often comes with concerns about consent in the use of publicly available images. Like Worldcoin before them, Google and Telus International, a subsidiary Canadian telco Telus, are addressing the problem with cash incentives, via a new initiative that offers $50 to parents who are willing to film their kids so that their skin tone, eyelid shape, and other biometric features can be used to build biometric datasets for age verification.

An investigation by 404 Media says a published description of the project specifies parents must agree to shoot 11 videos, each 40 seconds or less, of their children sporting face masks or hats, or unadorned to record biometric modalities such as skin tone and facial geometry. The process also collects personal information such as name, gender and birth date. Participating kids must be between 13 and 17 years old.

Telus International AI Inc. (TIAI) says the goal is to “capture a broad cross-section of participants targeting various combinations of demographics, with the goal of ensuring that our customer’s services, and derived products, are equally representative of a diverse set of end-users.” According to the company, helping Google find volunteers will ultimately improve authentication tools and add security for Telus’ end users, although they refer to Google as “a non-affiliated customer of TIAI.”

Meanwhile, a statement from Google LLC outlines the details of the process, for which TIAI identified volunteers who were then referred to Google for biometric capture.

“As part of our commitment to delivering age-appropriate experiences and to comply with laws and regulations around the world, we’re exploring ways to help our users verify their age,” says the statement. “Google collected videos and images of faces, clearly explaining how the content will be used and, as with all research involving minors, we required parental consent for participants under the age of 18. We’ve also put strict privacy protections in place, including limiting the amount of time the data will be retained and providing all participants the option to delete their data at any time.” The fine print says Google and Telus can “retain the data as long as needed to fulfill the purposes of the study,” but for no longer than five years from the date of biometric data collection or termination of the study.

Parents who sign up their kids are required to shoot the videos on private premises, with a Google representative on a call to walk them through the steps, and to verify some form of identification for the child (for instance, a passport).

However, as Britney Spears has shown us, there is no guarantee that parents are acting in the best interests of their children. Patchwork laws across federal and provincial jurisdiction do not make the situation much clearer. In Ontario, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act gives individuals having lawful custody of a child under 16 years of age the right to provide consent on the child’s behalf; once a student turns 16, their parent or guardian may no longer consent on their behalf. Meanwhile, British Columbia, where Telus is headquartered, is governed under the Personal Information Privacy Act (PIPA).

On top of this, the federal government continues to push through Bill C-27, which would replace the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) with new legislation under the Consumer Privacy Protection Act, the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act and the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act. The new federal laws would classify the personal data of minors as “sensitive information,” making it subject to more rigorous protections, and give children autonomy over their personal information.

Meaning, that the window for buying kids’ face biometrics on the cheap from eager parents might not be open for long, making it likely that similar campaigns will ramp up before regulations catch up with demand.

UNHCR embraces blockchain, zero-knowledge proofs to improve aid systems

The UN refugee agency is working on decentralized digital ID utilizing blockchain to protect the identity of people crossing borders is risky situations.

UNHCR Division of Financial and Administrative Management Treasurer Carmen Hett said during a panel discussion at Decentral House in Switzerland at the close of 2023. The panel also included representatives of the World Trade Organization and International Telecommunication Union, and focussed largely on how to build support and acceptance for the use of blockchain within agencies that are operationally conservative.

There are 114 million displaced people around the world, according to Hett, and the UNHCR’s challenge is to deliver the assistance they need and support their financial inclusion, based on accurate information. Aid is deposited in refugees’ digital wallets to give them some degree of control over how the funds are spent.

Hett admits some skepticism among UNHCR staff about the use of blockchain, but says with the first use case delivered successfully, the project is now scaling up.

The use of blockchain for aid payments means that UNHCR can provide aid “within literally minutes,” Hett says, and does so “at zero cost.” This promise allowed her to challenge skeptics within her organization to come up with a reason why blockchain could not be used.

Delivering aid in the form of USDC stablecoins deposited in a digital wallet also builds the digital and financial literacy of refugees, Hett argues.

That is the model used to deliver aid directly to people fleeing the Russia’s war against Ukraine, using biometrics to verify the identity of recipients. The project won the “Best Impact Project Award” at Paris Blockchain Week 2023.

The UNHCR’s next use case for blockchain is fundraising through a staking pool and the production of NFTs to raise awareness of the agency’s work.

Digital identity not only goes along with the digital wallet, but also carries particular risk for refugees. For this reason, Hett says, UNHCR is considering how to use zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to protect refugee’s data.

Good news with US-EU digital ID standards: 2 similar systems

The top U.S. tech standards agency wants to start 2024 off briskly when it comes to digital identity. It has put out for feedback a draft report intended to bridge the gap between domestic and EU efforts.

It could be said that the National Institute of Standards and Technology should equally push commonality between U.S. states organizing their own ID programs. Of course, officials could be going after the easier tasks first.

Officials with the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council created the report. Common and contradictory aspects of standards are examined. Perhaps surprisingly, the working group find no insurmountable differences. The pieces fit together well.

That’s particularly fortunate because neither side is expected to face compulsory fealty to the other’s final framework, but they are hoping for interoperability. Biometric data sharing has already proved a problematic fit.

One point of difference is that NIST SP 800–63–3 (currently being updated) sets out three levels each for the assurance of identities, authenticators and federation, while the EU specifies three “levels of assurance.”

NADRA pens deal to pursue domestic biometric, digital ID-related services offering

A collaboration that seeks to promote the indigenous design and production of biometric and identity-related technologies has been sealed between Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Technologies Limited (NTL), and the country’s National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC).

The two partners are expected to synergize their expertise and resources for the production of biometric technologies suited for both the local and international markets, according to a NADRA news release.

NRTC’s Managing Director, Brigadier Muhammad Asin Ishaque, signed the deal on behalf of his corporation, while NTL CEO, Gohar Ahmad Khan, did so for the ID-issuing agency.

The release announcing the deal notes that NADRA comes to the partnership with extensive experience as a system integrator for digital ID solutions based on the Pakistan ID Stack.

It cites some of the agency’s principal products and services like the e-Sahulat (a digital government and payments platform) and a wide range of other products and services deployed in the telecommunication and fintech industries.

NADRA’s experience abroad includes the successful implementation of a number of projects on digital government, digital ID, biometric passports, and civil registration and vital statistics. The body’s support has been solicited for various biometric and digital ID projects in some countries including Kenya and Somalia.

On the part of NRTC, the company, which has delivered projects in the defense and civil sectors, will offer its expertise to the deal in different areas such as telecommunication equipment, electronic systems, surveillance platforms, and software solutions.

Intellicheck aces independent fake ID detection test

An independent assessment of Intellicheck’s ability to detect fake IDs indicates 100 percent accuracy, according to a company announcement.

International fraud consultancy Greenway Solutions produced the report from customer research and laboratory testing.

Greenway’s Fraud Red Team procured 20 fake driver’s licenses and tested them against Intellicheck’s identity document validation technology, using a barcode scan, and an alternative document verification solution, which required scans of the cards’ front and back. While Intellicheck successfully identified all 20 as fakes, the competitor incorrectly passed one.

Customers interviewed for the report said that the security enhancement provided by Intellicheck enables them to take calculated risks that can lead to growth. They also praised the response time of the company’s technology as a significant factor in selecting it. Customers also noted Intellicheck’s ease of use, speed of deployment, and integration flexibility.

“We are thrilled to receive such positive feedback and validation from an independent entity,” says Intellicheck CEO Bryan Lewis. “Our commitment to providing top-notch identity validation solutions is reflected in the outstanding results of the independent clients’ interviews and technology tests.”

Identity validation provides a major deterrent to fraudsters, according to Greenway’s report, prompting them to abandon applications. Greenway found that malicious actors will test the validation process continually to try to find a workaround.

The analysis also found that the primary business drivers for the deployment of identity validation are improved customer experience, reduced friction, and decreased customer abandonment. Intellicheck’s technology is typically deployed as part of multi-layer identity verification strategy.

IDNow adds to age verification bona fides with Germany compliance assessment

Germany’s government body for assessing the suitability of age assurance technologies has approved IDNow’s suite of automated identity check software, IDCheck.io, for compliant online age verification.

IDnow.io passed a legal and security compliance assessment by the Commission for the Protection of Minors (KJM). The German Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media stipulates that online videos, games, as well as gambling and pornography sites that are rated “adults only” must use age verification systems approved by KJM.

Age verification with IDCheck.io is provided by an ID document scan, followed by a selfie biometrics and liveness check.

The regulator has already approved VideoIdent, IDNow’s video chat product, as well as its AutoIdent, eID and digital wallet for compliant age checks.

“There are corners of the internet that contain content best unseen by child or adolescent eyes,” says Rayissa Armata, director of global regulatory and government affairs at IDnow. “However, curious young minds will often go searching for these, so there needs to be a method of gatekeeping on these websites that goes beyond asking a user to simply click a button to confirm or deny their adult status, which is what the KJM stands for in Germany. With IDCheck.io, IDnow is pleased to offer yet another solution for online age verification, which has been rated positively by the KJM. With our broad range of identity verification methods, IDnow remains a strong partner for the protection of minors, especially in the gaming and gambling space.”

US Homeland Security asking after synthetic data systems

Synthetic data — probably including biometric identifiers — has become a must-have for U.S. security officials.

The Department of Homeland Security is looking for private sector products for generating synthetic data to model and simulate databases of real information. The department’s Science and Technology Directorate pushed the solicitation.

Part of the directorate’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program, officials want to create synthetic data at scale, which will enable officials to get the realistic model training they need while minimizing privacy lapses and rights violations.

Participating companies are eligible for as much as $1.7 million in non-diluting investments, according to the directorate. The deadline is April 10.

There are eight capabilities participants must tick. Among them are support for unstructured data types and the artificial generation of data using techniques that reveal insights into the shape and pattern of real data.

The software also must remove or mitigate bias in the artificial data and verify data fidelity. It also has to make it impossible to reverse engineer real data from synthetic.

Biometrics is very current topic for the directorate. It held a biometric technology rally in 2022, with results made public last year, just as it launched a Remote Identity Validation Tech Demonstration.

DNA collection from Chinese minority groups for biometrics research raises alarms

Information has emerged that the collection of DNA samples from over 200 Uyghurs and Kazakh people — each groups of marginalized ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region of China — for genetic sequencing technology research, was done without respect for ethical standards.

Radio Free Asia (RFA) quotes some witnesses as attesting that the concerned data subjects submitted their biometric data to the researchers under duress from the Chinese government. One of the witnesses quoted by RFA, Qelbinur Sidiq, said people had no choice but to accept instructions for the collection of their blood and saliva samples, fingerprints and retina scans. She said authorities warned that anyone who fails to participate in the biometric collection will face “severe consequences.”

Last month, UK publication The Guardian reported that one of the said research undertakings, whose results published the DNA details of the Uyghurs and Kazkh, had been retracted following an outcry. In fact, the outlet makes reference to two retracted publications on DNA samples patterning to the Uyghurs: one in 2023 and another earlier in 2019, both articles published by the same authors from the University of Copenhagen.

Per The Guardian, the study disclosed details of saliva and blood samples collected from a group of 203 Uyghurs and Kazakh persons.

The DNA samples were collected as part of research to evaluate the deployment of genetic sequencing technology by U.S. biotech company Thermo Fisher. The purpose of the research, the outlet notes, was part of efforts to understand the DNA variations of people from the concerned minority groups and how that can help law enforcement agencies in identifying criminal suspects.

RFA reports that the lack of ethical approval for the collection of DNA samples was cited as reason for the retraction of the scientific article. Belgian professor Yves Moreau blames the Chinese government for collecting biometric data from several ethnic minorities in China.

Trust Stamp files patent for tokenized biometrics, inks IoT collaboration

Biometric digital identity services firm Trust Stamp has filed another patent for tokenized identity as it could help meet increasingly strict global biometric data regulations.

A provisional patent application for the technology named Stable IT2 was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The technology uses a cryptographic token generated from a user’s face biometrics.

Tokenizing turns biometric data into an abstract, anonymized set of vectors, eliminating the exposure of sensitive data. Trust Stamp hopes its technology will become the new standard for biometric authentication as it allows users more control over personal data, aligning privacy and data minimization principles, according to the firm.

The Stable IT2 technology is designed for identity authentication, secure system access and account protection.

During the process, a user’s facial image is captured, typically via a selfie, and the image is then converted into a Stable IT2 token using Trust Stamp’s algorithm. The token is then used for all subsequent identity verifications, explains Trust Stamp’s Chief Science Officer Norman Poh.

“During the authentication process, the system does not compare raw biometric data or traditional templates,” says Poh. “Instead, it matches the tokenized representations, ensuring that the actual biometric data is never exposed or stored.”

The Atlanta, U.S.-based firm has been making other strides in tokenization and data protection. Last year, Trust Stamp received two U.S. patents related to biometric identification and one related to biometric tokenization and its Irreversibly Transformed Identity Token (IT2) technology.

Scurid, which provides a platform for integrating IoT edge devices, databases and applications, has partnered with Trust Stamp to use biometrics for seamless and secure interactions between humans and machines.

The Denmark-based IoT company will integrate Trust Stamp’s IT2 to add biometric tokenization to reduce the risk of unauthorized access or stolen data from applications for fleet management and smart manufacturing, cities, and warehouses.

The partners say the result is a scalable and comprehensive solution that simplifies authentication.

SecuGen expands beyond biometrics with smart payment and ID card reader

Fingerprint scanner producer SecuGen has announced that its new SecuGen IQ SC1 contact smart card reader is now on the market. It is the company’s first standalone smart card reader.

The reader has a USB full speed interface and can read and write smart cards at a speed of up to 600 kbps. The company claims the device can last for up to 200,000 card insertion cycles.

The IQ SC1 contact smart card reader is EMV Level 1 and PBOC certified as well as PC/SC and CCID compliant. The device supports Windows, Linux, macOS, and Solaris operating systems, among others. It can also run on Android devices from versions 3.1 and above.

The peripheral has a variety of use cases including banking, healthcare, access control, and retail. It can read digital ID cards like Malaysia’s MyKad, common access cards, SIPRNet cards, and J-LIS smart cards, according to the product page.

“Our customers have been inquiring about smart card readers for some time,” says SecuGen VP of Engineering Dan Riley. “That’s why we originally developed the combination fingerprint reader with smart card reader products, and that is why we are releasing this standalone contact smart card reader.”
“Our entire focus has always been providing the products and tools that our reseller partners need to be able to bring the best biometric solutions to their end-user customers. With the release of the IQ SCI contact smart card reader, we continue to broaden that product line while supporting our partners,” says CEO Won Lee.

Ekemp wins MOSIP compliance for new integrated biometric device

Ekemp’s new series of biometric tablets makes it one of China’s first manufacturers of integrated biometric devices to obtain compliance with MOSIP, according to a news release.

Based in Shenzhen, Ekemp is an Original Equipment Manufacturer and Original Design Manufacturer (OEM/ODM) specializing in digital biometric security identification hardware for elections, law enforcement, corrections, and other sectors in need of digital identity tools. The new line of products certified for MOSIP, called Versat, are portable scanners designed for simple and efficient identity registration and authentication, with durability in mind. The line features Ekemp’s in-house master data management (MDM) system for handling large-scale software updates and device management, making it practical for large-scale decentralized deployments.

Representatives from Ekemp say integration with the MOSIP platform will not only guarantee device security but open up access to new markets and use cases in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In addition to MOSIP compliance, Versat devices have nods from Google GMS, CE, RoHS, REACH, IP65 and MIL-STD-810G. The Versat-F line is integrated with patented Light Emitting Sensor (LES) fingerprint scanning from Integrated Biometrics, certified by the FBI to consistently capture high-quality fingerprint images in a variety of environments, including direct sunlight.

Leo Yang, technical director at Ekemp, says development of the Versat line took two years, involving “extensive research and understanding of user pain points, iterations of prototypes over several versions, rigorous testing by the Ekemp team and partners, and simulation of various use environments to ensure optimal functionality and enhance technical details.”

Incubated at IIIT-Bangalore as a global digital public good, MOSIP, the Modular Open Source Identity Platform, aims to provide adaptable, vendor-neutral software to non-proprietary digital ID ecosystem initiatives around the world. To date, it has been used to issue more than 100 million digital and civil identities in partner countries.