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Biometric access control systems at airports

Hand geometry biometric access control systems are ideally suited for securing access to highly complex environments.

When reviewing the transportation environment, an airport terminal’s security issue is to manage access and egress of many different types of people all carrying out many different tasks – one can almost compare it to a mini-city.

Biometric recognition systems dynamically schedule and control the movement to and from critical areas and assets, providing airports with the maximum security. Airports, in particular, require a way to restrict unauthorised personnel from sensitive areas such as aircraft operations and baggage handling and to ensure security of its boarding areas.

“Reliable access control systems are a necessity for airport terminals as simple ID badges can be lost, stolen or given to a third party whereas handreaders are reliable, enhance security and offer a foolproof identity verification system for critical areas throughout these bustling facilities,” says Raymond Noppé, managing director of Uniclox Technologies.

Airports across the globe are using handreaders to secure their most sensitive areas. Handreaders automatically take a three-dimensional reading of the size and shape of a hand and verify a user’s identity in less than one second by comparing it to a stored template. Any population volume is handled with ease while impeccable reliability is provided. With lower false reject and failure to enrol rates than other biometric technologies, the value of handreaders grows as the number of users and/or transactions increases.

A new dimension of innovation which has been added to access control products is wireless technology, which ensures faster, less costly installations. Wireless systems use less hardware and the installation time is five to 10 times faster. Through these systems, it becomes exceedingly easy to retrofit electronic access control solutions in facilities and applications that have previously been restricted due to budget constraints or installation limitations.

In addition to providing access control at, for example, a door in the form of a wireless lock, wireless solutions are now available for elevators, gates and exit devices. The wireless system easily integrates into existing hand reader access control systems and users can continue to use their existing identification credentials.

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