Following the success of last year’s BiometriX conference, the organisers, SmartX and Technews Publishing have announced the agenda for this year’s groundbreaking conference and exhibition.
The 2009 conference focuses on integrated identity management in the enterprise and public sector markets. Expert presenters from South Africa and abroad will highlight trends, best practices and case studies demonstrating the real-world design and implementation of integrated identity management solutions in the enterprise.
The conference will kick off with Dr. Nick Van der Merwe, director of technology and business development at Ideco Technologies, who will deliver a global perspective on the latest developments in biometric quality standards. The presentation will cover emerging global standards, interoperability issues as well as multibiometrics, including technology and policy.
The head of OPIC INTERPOL fingerprint unit, Mark Branchflower will follow, delivering a presentation on biometric trends in the 21st century. Biometrics has come a long way since its tentative beginnings at the dawn of the 20th century. The 21st century has been characterised by both more serious security concerns and greater availability of computing power. What are the new paradigms governing the power, limitations, perceptions and vulnerabilities of this technology?
Piet Du Toit, divisional commissioner SAPS Criminal Records Centre will start the second session of the day with his presentation on biometrics as a tool for justice in society. While biometrics has long been associated with criminal identification and verification in isolation, there is a need to bring such systems closer to more global databases. On one hand, various biometric techniques make such integration feasible; on the other hand, privacy issues are often in conflict. Is there a judicious mix?
The second international guest is Dr. Matthews Mtumbuka from Malawi. He is the chief technology officer of MALSWITCH and will be describing the biometric solutions MALSWITCH employs for secure banking and payments. MALSWITCH operates one of the most advanced biometric based payment system in Africa that covers thousands of state employees spread over the country.
Steve Fitzpatrick, operations director of iNathi Technologies will then speak on making primary health care simpler. Working side-by-side with health workers and using the paper-based forms they are accustomed to in their daily tasks, iNathi created an electronic system that is not only familiar and understandable to those at the forefront of healthcare but can also generate the reports and statistics required by decision makers. Naturally, biometric technology plays a crucial role in this solution.
Sagem Security South Africa will deliver a case study after lunch in which it focuses on international border control using three groundbreaking biometric implementations. This includes the projects using fingerprint identification at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, iris recognition at London’s Heathrow and facial recognition at various airports in Australia. All projects are poised for major expansions in the coming months.
To clear up the confusion between what constitutes identification and verification, we turn to Gary Chalmers, CEO of iPulse. Chalmers will resolve the confusion and delve into what the implications are for the diversification of these two formats. Basia Nasiorowska, MD of Interoptic Networks will then end the presentations with an informative session on current biometric facial image standards.
An in-depth panel discussion will end the day with the speakers available to answer questions and discuss topics of interest that the audience raises. The day promises to be an informative, forward-looking session with networking opportunities during the cocktails at the end of the day.
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