As a leader in the biometrics industry for over two decades, Precise Biometrics is well known for its leadership in developing high quality fingerprint solutions for physical access and software for mobile devices and smart cards. More recently it has introduced Precise YOUNiQ, a new platform that combines multiple biometric technologies with other types of smart technology to provide convenient and secure identity verification. Used for scenarios such as easy onboarding to digital services and physical access to buildings like offices, gyms and educational facilities, this new product is helping everyday life become easier and more secure. Stefan K. Persson, CEO of Precise explains more…
Biometrics are already an important part of everyday lives for many people around the world and as we embrace digital ways, everyday behaviour is also changing. Banking is a good example to consider – today we rarely visit a bank branch as most of us prefer to use online banking for transactions and other activities. Previously we even had to visit the branch in order to open an account with identity documents such as a passport or driving licence, now however you quite possibly don’t even know where the branch is, particularly if you are part of a younger generation. My 19-year-old daughter didn’t when she had to visit her bank branch to regain access to her account after losing her mobile phone and physical token – and she most certainly didn’t want to be bothered by the inconvenience of having to make a personal visit!
If we also look at cash, this is disappearing fast. It’s predicted that by 2023, Sweden will be one of the first countries that will have digital money only. While the complete demise of all physical currency in the UK is still several years away, it is also set to become mostly cashless quite soon. Seen by many as a great way to combat fraud, smartcards – biometric contactless cards – bring security without compromising customer convenience when making physical payment.
Of course the way we shop has also changed radically with consumers making far more purchases online. This changing behaviour means we have a real need for accurate identification and verification of individuals for digital services. Customer onboarding is a big challenge for organisations both for bringing new customers onboard and delivering transformation to a digital environment for existing customers, while at the same time ensuring that they meet regulatory compliance. This higher need for secure and convenient methods of identification and verification can only be met through biometrics.
Our new platform Precise YOUNiQ enables easy and secure access to digital services by just taking a selfie. We manage all the Know your Customer (KYC) requirements as the solution combines extracting data from a document such as an individual’s passport, national ID or driving licence with machine learning technology. Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, the information and document are authenticated using powerful algorithms. Then the photo from the document is matched to a selfie that the individual takes with their mobile phone. This confirms that the individual who has provided the identity document and selfie is in fact the person that they claim to be. And of course, subsequent log-ins are just as easy – when the selfie is verified to the image used for onboarding, you’re good to go! It really is simple and highly secure.
But that’s not all. Our pilots are proving so successful that we have continued evolving the product and are now proud to offer the YOUNiQ platform for physical facility access. Traditionally access control has been managed by passes or cards – either physically or on a mobile phone – or passcodes that need to be entered on a pin-pad. Issuing individual access passes to onboard a new employee or guest is expensive (both financially and environmentally if using non-recyclable materials) and time consuming. Plus it’s inconvenient and insecure as cards and passcodes can be lost, forgotten, stolen or even borrowed, making it impossible to confirm that the person using the access pass or code after it has been issued is actually the authorised individual. Our solution means that a person just needs to take a selfie then uses that to onboard remotely to the organisation’s access system. Then when they enter the organisation’s premises, multiple real time media streams from the entrance cameras quickly detect and confirm the individual’s identity while they walk in enabling automatic access – with no need to stand and wait in front of a camera for recognition. Just fast and simple!
I think the future looks bright when we utilise biometrics in these ways – using your body as the key, whether it’s for opening doors to your car, office and home, opening up your computer or mobile phone, and for accessing your bank or betting account… even your health care. It will take a little time for adoption of course but the evolution is already underway and we are set to enjoy the benefits.”