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Value of biometric technology

12 May 2011

Biometric technology is a key driving force behind the growth of the security solution development and application industry. It is based on the recognition and processing of genetic information to allow or deny access, to record and automatically report on time and attendance and instil higher levels of control over resources.

It continues to dominate in both time and attendance and access control technology systems. HR and business management specialists say biometric technology works well within the modern commercial environment and is able to meet a growing demand. It is used extensively within manufacturing and retail, primarily for access control, time & attendance and security.

This technology has been strongly associated with fingerprint scanning, but there are a number of other methodologies to consider, such as retina and facial recognition. The technology is established within the broader South African business landscape and, because of continued innovation and focus, is also more cost effective.

Protecting resources

Traditionally investment in biometric-based systems was directed more towards time and attendance management and was limited in volume and application, as a result of cost. However, over time, biometric systems have gained appeal as an effective means of not only managing human resources within a company, but also protecting resources and instilling higher levels of access control and security.

One of the reasons for this appeal is because the technology integrates so well with existing infrastructure - which often includes more traditional forms of access control.

More compact, sophisticated devices

The ability to replace token-based access control systems, or those based on cards, pins and keys, is here. There is a place for more traditional forms of access control and there is no doubt that they have a role to play within certain environments. However, biometric technology does warrant serious consideration, it is robust, accurate and designed for ease-of-use.

Ongoing research and development within biometric systems mean improved opportunity for the rollout of more compact devices and growth in popularity of facial recognition.

There is little doubt that as the need for security strategies increase and threats to organisations grow in sophistication, the role of robust, flexible and high-performance biometric technology will increase in significance.