- Email: [email protected]
Gaining acceptance in the workplace
feature provides the testing programmes that rely on it with an added level of assurance that was not available previously.
About the author Suzana Lopes is the commercial director at Pearson VUE (www.pearsonvue.com), which
provides computer-based testing for information technology, academic, government and professional testing programmes around the world. Pearson VUE provides a full suite of services from test development to data management, and delivers exams through a secure network of test centres in 165 countries. Pearson VUE is a business of Pearson, the international media
company, whose businesses include the Financial Times Group, Pearson Education and the Penguin Group.
References 1. International Biometric www.biometricgroup.com
Group,
Gaining acceptance in the workplace Sylvain Bodet, managing director of Bodet UK Biometric technologies have proved their ability to authenticate employees in the workplace. There are security and cost benefits for the organisation, but the cultural considerations can be complex. Biometric authentication systems can drastically reduce the risk of business security being compromised and eliminate the need for many traditional security tools, in turn reducing security overheads for businesses. In recent years, biometric authentication systems have become a far more popular tool for authorising access and many new manufacturers and middleware providers have entered the market to focus on the biometric ability to restrict physical access in high-security environments. Each form of biometric authentication has its own strengths and weaknesses but the overall uniqueness of biometric attributes makes them an ideal measure for identifying and authenticating individuals, particularly in two-factor or multifactor authentication systems that require employees to enter an ID and password.
Uses and cultural differences Fingerprints have been used as a method of identification since 1858, and the establishment of Scotland Yard’s Central Fingerprinting Bureau in 1901 was founded on the strength of biometric attributes for identification. That has helped establish biometrics as one of the least disputed ‘password’ administration devices because users are unable to forget, forge or share their credentials. As a result the cost of security to a business is drastically reduced while security as a whole is increased. The costs of biometric authentication measures, although falling, are still expensive. The hardware and software must be integrated into a business’s current network and this is where
April 2010
the majority of the cost is involved. However, fingerprint and hand scanners are extremely reliable when it comes to authentication and the systems are very easy to use, which makes them more popular among users. This makes them attractive options when it comes to authenticating individuals. That accounts for the way that fingerprint and hand scanners are leading the way. In the US, customers can pay for goods and services by simply providing a phone number and fingerprint scan. This type of technology means merchants have fewer fees to pay for standard credit and debit transactions, less of a need to manage and handle cash on site, less risk of identity theft and customers can move far quicker through the checkout process. The banking industry is also utilising this type of technology as a replacement for PINs and ATM cards – but already we can see the influence of cultural factors. A number of banks in Korea use biometric fingerprint scans according to Gartner Analysts; in Japan, however, organisations prefer to use hand vein scanning – in Japanese culture, touching something that has been touched by other individuals is considered unfavourable. Vein scanners do not require users to touch them.
Fears slow uptake According to Gartner, biometric technology is proving very useful for access control in business. It stated that, in 2008, less than 20% of organisations worldwide had adopted biometrics, but by 2011 this should have increased to nearly a third. Yet the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has said that the adoption of this
technology is being held back by concerns about security, health and safety and ‘Big Brother’ fears.
“Fingerprint and hand scanners are extremely reliable and the systems are very easy to use, which makes them more popular among users.” When implementing workplace systems that involve biometrics, Bodet has found that it’s important to consider the full range of cultural factors very carefully. Hand scanning systems represent the most popular type of biometric device, raising the fewest issues and provoking the least aversion to the implementation of these systems. The hand geometry terminal takes a 3D picture of the user’s hand instead of a fingerprint scan. A PIN code provides two-factor authentication. The process takes only two to three seconds, saving time for staff entering a building. The hand scanning option is also very popular in many industries due to the fact it is so accurate, not suffering the problems with cuts and other blemishes that can reduce accuracy in some fingerprinting systems. For example, the use of antibacterial gels in response to recent swine flu outbreaks has meant many finger scanners cannot identify users that have the gel on their hands. Hand scanning can also be used in industries such as manufacturing where the environment is often very dusty and dirty. The simplicity, speed and accuracy of hand scanning systems have helped them gain acceptance among the workforce. What also aids the positive image of biometric solutions among staff members is the way it relieves them of the responsibility of carrying around swipe cards, tokens and fobs that are easily forgotten, lost or stolen. And an added benefit, for the organisation, is that the biometric solution reduces the opportunity for ‘buddy punching’ where a staff member clocks in on behalf of a colleague. Continued on page 12...
Biometric Technology Today
11
news/comment ...Continued from page 11
Care services An example of how initial reticence can turn to acceptance is provided by Solihull Care, an industrial and provident society, which provides care services for disabled, elderly and vulnerable people in Solihull and the surrounding areas. The organisation employs around 280 members of staff, both in its nursing home at Swallows Meadow Court and for its domiciliary services. Marion Vickers, administrator and payroll officer for Solihull Care, had numerous issues in calculating staff payroll based purely on written time sheets. Many employees would forget to hand in their overtime figures and so would not be paid until the next month’s payroll; and handwritten time sheets were sometimes difficult to decipher, resulting in inaccurate payments and numerous amendments and corrections.
“The installation of the hand geometry terminal took a week, and was a simple and painless process.” Due to the amount of time Vickers had to invest in the written payroll process she decided to research time and attendance solutions that would allow her to monitor staff work hours accurately and automatically. Initially, Bodet was asked to install a fingerprint scanner; but after more detailed discussions about the care home’s payroll and time and attendance objectives, Bodet recommended a hand geometry terminal, which proved to be a faster and more accurate solution for registering users, with a better than 99% success rate. The installation of the hand geometry terminal took a week, and was a simple and painless process. Although the staff at Solihull Care initially felt as though this was a move by the company to watch over them more closely and monitor them like ‘Big Brother’, they soon realised the benefits of the system. Staff overtime is now calculated instantly and accurately, with no need for the staff to write up their own time sheets. This saves the staff valuable time and means that resources are used more efficiently and productively. There was also a return on investment for Solihull care, as stationary costs have been drastically reduced and time spent reading through time sheets has been eliminated. Winning over a workforce to biometric solutions means using the right technology that gives them visible benefits, as well as providing advantages for the organisation.
About the author Sylvain Bodet is managing director of Bodet UK and is responsible for promoting the Bodet Brand 12
Biometric Technology Today
and developing sales in the UK. Sylvain has been working for the family company since 2006 and successfully launched its clock systems activity, which now accounts for two-thirds of the company’s turnover. Sylvain has an educational background in engineering and marketing and in the past has worked for organisations such as HewlettPackard. The Bodet Group is based in France and has five subsidiaries across Europe with products that range from clock-making to IT-based time and attendance systems. ...News continued from page 6 The number of arrests was up by 4,000 compared to the previous year. In most cases, those arrested were people who had previously been deported from the UAE and were trying to re-enter. According to Major General Al Merri, they were simply kicked out again. Vigilant immigration staff also spotted 1,200 forged passports. This was among 12 million arrivals and 12 million departures over the course of 2009. (Major General Al Merri calculates this as 24 million travellers: presumably, however, many of the arrivals and departures would have been by the same people, especially the 75,000 who, one assumes, arrived and departed on the same day.) According to figures quoted in an interview with Gulf News, there were only 16 complaints from the public, down from 29 in 2008.
market research
Biometrics market set for healthy growth rate
N
ew research by RNCOS predicts a compound annual growth rate of 18% over the next two years for the biometric market. According to the report, ‘Global Biometric Forecast to 2012’, North America and Europe will dominate the market for biometrics: they had 62% of the market share in 2009 and that’s set to continue. Asia-Pacific is the next biggest market but the Middle East and Africa could see the biggest percentage growth – due mainly to major biometric programmes in the Gulf region and South Africa. As far as vertical markets go, the financial sector is the one to watch, the report argues. Banks, in particular, are keen to use the technology to cut down on fraud. And this is especially true in developing countries, particularly those in Asia where biometrics are also see as key to offering new services – for example, more widespread ATM withdrawals – in a secure fashion.
Comment A difference of opinion at a recent teachers’ conference neatly summarised the image problem from which biometrics still suffers. At the annual conference for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), held in Manchester, UK, some speakers spoke out against the use of biometrics in schools – not the technology, but the way it is introduced. There is currently no requirement under UK law for a school to seek the approval of parents to implement biometric solutions. One speaker, teacher Hank Roberts from Copland Specialist Science College in Brent, London, said: “It’s outrageous that children’s fingerprints can be taken without their parents’ or guardians’ consent.” Other teachers spoke in favour of biometrics, pointing out the benefits. Nevertheless, the reporting of the event in the press was largely negative. It’s a reminder that technology doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s important to engage affected
communities to ensure they are comfortable with the solution and convinced of its advantages. There are several initiatives that will help. For example, a new EU project has been created to analyse the challenges. Called Privacy and Emerging Sciences and Technologies (Prescient), it aims to establish a new framework for privacy and ethical issues raised by technologies such as surveillance and biometrics. It is being undertaken by a consortium of four organisations – Fraunhofer ISI (Germany), Trilateral Research & Consulting (UK), the Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship (Italy) and the Law, Science, Technology & Society centre at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). As the use of biometrics increases, we need to find ways of meeting these issues head on. Prescient may be well named. For more information about Prescient, go to: www.prescient-project.eu Steve Mansfield-Devine
April 2010
About the author Suzana Lopes is the commercial director at Pearson VUE (www.pearsonvue.com), which
provides computer-based testing for information technology, academic, government and professional testing programmes around the world. Pearson VUE provides a full suite of services from test development to data management, and delivers exams through a secure network of test centres in 165 countries. Pearson VUE is a business of Pearson, the international media
company, whose businesses include the Financial Times Group, Pearson Education and the Penguin Group.
References 1. International Biometric www.biometricgroup.com
Group,
Gaining acceptance in the workplace Sylvain Bodet, managing director of Bodet UK Biometric technologies have proved their ability to authenticate employees in the workplace. There are security and cost benefits for the organisation, but the cultural considerations can be complex. Biometric authentication systems can drastically reduce the risk of business security being compromised and eliminate the need for many traditional security tools, in turn reducing security overheads for businesses. In recent years, biometric authentication systems have become a far more popular tool for authorising access and many new manufacturers and middleware providers have entered the market to focus on the biometric ability to restrict physical access in high-security environments. Each form of biometric authentication has its own strengths and weaknesses but the overall uniqueness of biometric attributes makes them an ideal measure for identifying and authenticating individuals, particularly in two-factor or multifactor authentication systems that require employees to enter an ID and password.
Uses and cultural differences Fingerprints have been used as a method of identification since 1858, and the establishment of Scotland Yard’s Central Fingerprinting Bureau in 1901 was founded on the strength of biometric attributes for identification. That has helped establish biometrics as one of the least disputed ‘password’ administration devices because users are unable to forget, forge or share their credentials. As a result the cost of security to a business is drastically reduced while security as a whole is increased. The costs of biometric authentication measures, although falling, are still expensive. The hardware and software must be integrated into a business’s current network and this is where
April 2010
the majority of the cost is involved. However, fingerprint and hand scanners are extremely reliable when it comes to authentication and the systems are very easy to use, which makes them more popular among users. This makes them attractive options when it comes to authenticating individuals. That accounts for the way that fingerprint and hand scanners are leading the way. In the US, customers can pay for goods and services by simply providing a phone number and fingerprint scan. This type of technology means merchants have fewer fees to pay for standard credit and debit transactions, less of a need to manage and handle cash on site, less risk of identity theft and customers can move far quicker through the checkout process. The banking industry is also utilising this type of technology as a replacement for PINs and ATM cards – but already we can see the influence of cultural factors. A number of banks in Korea use biometric fingerprint scans according to Gartner Analysts; in Japan, however, organisations prefer to use hand vein scanning – in Japanese culture, touching something that has been touched by other individuals is considered unfavourable. Vein scanners do not require users to touch them.
Fears slow uptake According to Gartner, biometric technology is proving very useful for access control in business. It stated that, in 2008, less than 20% of organisations worldwide had adopted biometrics, but by 2011 this should have increased to nearly a third. Yet the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has said that the adoption of this
technology is being held back by concerns about security, health and safety and ‘Big Brother’ fears.
“Fingerprint and hand scanners are extremely reliable and the systems are very easy to use, which makes them more popular among users.” When implementing workplace systems that involve biometrics, Bodet has found that it’s important to consider the full range of cultural factors very carefully. Hand scanning systems represent the most popular type of biometric device, raising the fewest issues and provoking the least aversion to the implementation of these systems. The hand geometry terminal takes a 3D picture of the user’s hand instead of a fingerprint scan. A PIN code provides two-factor authentication. The process takes only two to three seconds, saving time for staff entering a building. The hand scanning option is also very popular in many industries due to the fact it is so accurate, not suffering the problems with cuts and other blemishes that can reduce accuracy in some fingerprinting systems. For example, the use of antibacterial gels in response to recent swine flu outbreaks has meant many finger scanners cannot identify users that have the gel on their hands. Hand scanning can also be used in industries such as manufacturing where the environment is often very dusty and dirty. The simplicity, speed and accuracy of hand scanning systems have helped them gain acceptance among the workforce. What also aids the positive image of biometric solutions among staff members is the way it relieves them of the responsibility of carrying around swipe cards, tokens and fobs that are easily forgotten, lost or stolen. And an added benefit, for the organisation, is that the biometric solution reduces the opportunity for ‘buddy punching’ where a staff member clocks in on behalf of a colleague. Continued on page 12...
Biometric Technology Today
11
news/comment ...Continued from page 11
Care services An example of how initial reticence can turn to acceptance is provided by Solihull Care, an industrial and provident society, which provides care services for disabled, elderly and vulnerable people in Solihull and the surrounding areas. The organisation employs around 280 members of staff, both in its nursing home at Swallows Meadow Court and for its domiciliary services. Marion Vickers, administrator and payroll officer for Solihull Care, had numerous issues in calculating staff payroll based purely on written time sheets. Many employees would forget to hand in their overtime figures and so would not be paid until the next month’s payroll; and handwritten time sheets were sometimes difficult to decipher, resulting in inaccurate payments and numerous amendments and corrections.
“The installation of the hand geometry terminal took a week, and was a simple and painless process.” Due to the amount of time Vickers had to invest in the written payroll process she decided to research time and attendance solutions that would allow her to monitor staff work hours accurately and automatically. Initially, Bodet was asked to install a fingerprint scanner; but after more detailed discussions about the care home’s payroll and time and attendance objectives, Bodet recommended a hand geometry terminal, which proved to be a faster and more accurate solution for registering users, with a better than 99% success rate. The installation of the hand geometry terminal took a week, and was a simple and painless process. Although the staff at Solihull Care initially felt as though this was a move by the company to watch over them more closely and monitor them like ‘Big Brother’, they soon realised the benefits of the system. Staff overtime is now calculated instantly and accurately, with no need for the staff to write up their own time sheets. This saves the staff valuable time and means that resources are used more efficiently and productively. There was also a return on investment for Solihull care, as stationary costs have been drastically reduced and time spent reading through time sheets has been eliminated. Winning over a workforce to biometric solutions means using the right technology that gives them visible benefits, as well as providing advantages for the organisation.
About the author Sylvain Bodet is managing director of Bodet UK and is responsible for promoting the Bodet Brand 12
Biometric Technology Today
and developing sales in the UK. Sylvain has been working for the family company since 2006 and successfully launched its clock systems activity, which now accounts for two-thirds of the company’s turnover. Sylvain has an educational background in engineering and marketing and in the past has worked for organisations such as HewlettPackard. The Bodet Group is based in France and has five subsidiaries across Europe with products that range from clock-making to IT-based time and attendance systems. ...News continued from page 6 The number of arrests was up by 4,000 compared to the previous year. In most cases, those arrested were people who had previously been deported from the UAE and were trying to re-enter. According to Major General Al Merri, they were simply kicked out again. Vigilant immigration staff also spotted 1,200 forged passports. This was among 12 million arrivals and 12 million departures over the course of 2009. (Major General Al Merri calculates this as 24 million travellers: presumably, however, many of the arrivals and departures would have been by the same people, especially the 75,000 who, one assumes, arrived and departed on the same day.) According to figures quoted in an interview with Gulf News, there were only 16 complaints from the public, down from 29 in 2008.
market research
Biometrics market set for healthy growth rate
N
ew research by RNCOS predicts a compound annual growth rate of 18% over the next two years for the biometric market. According to the report, ‘Global Biometric Forecast to 2012’, North America and Europe will dominate the market for biometrics: they had 62% of the market share in 2009 and that’s set to continue. Asia-Pacific is the next biggest market but the Middle East and Africa could see the biggest percentage growth – due mainly to major biometric programmes in the Gulf region and South Africa. As far as vertical markets go, the financial sector is the one to watch, the report argues. Banks, in particular, are keen to use the technology to cut down on fraud. And this is especially true in developing countries, particularly those in Asia where biometrics are also see as key to offering new services – for example, more widespread ATM withdrawals – in a secure fashion.
Comment A difference of opinion at a recent teachers’ conference neatly summarised the image problem from which biometrics still suffers. At the annual conference for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), held in Manchester, UK, some speakers spoke out against the use of biometrics in schools – not the technology, but the way it is introduced. There is currently no requirement under UK law for a school to seek the approval of parents to implement biometric solutions. One speaker, teacher Hank Roberts from Copland Specialist Science College in Brent, London, said: “It’s outrageous that children’s fingerprints can be taken without their parents’ or guardians’ consent.” Other teachers spoke in favour of biometrics, pointing out the benefits. Nevertheless, the reporting of the event in the press was largely negative. It’s a reminder that technology doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s important to engage affected
communities to ensure they are comfortable with the solution and convinced of its advantages. There are several initiatives that will help. For example, a new EU project has been created to analyse the challenges. Called Privacy and Emerging Sciences and Technologies (Prescient), it aims to establish a new framework for privacy and ethical issues raised by technologies such as surveillance and biometrics. It is being undertaken by a consortium of four organisations – Fraunhofer ISI (Germany), Trilateral Research & Consulting (UK), the Centre for Science, Society and Citizenship (Italy) and the Law, Science, Technology & Society centre at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). As the use of biometrics increases, we need to find ways of meeting these issues head on. Prescient may be well named. For more information about Prescient, go to: www.prescient-project.eu Steve Mansfield-Devine
April 2010