Rapid expansion of Fujitsus PalmSecure biometric authentication technology

With more than 15,000 PalmSecure sensor installations in the marketplace, Fujitsu is a major provider of advanced biometric authentication devices.This includes 10,000 deployments at major banks, 3,000 embedded integrations in varied enterprise security systems, more than 1,000 PC log-in applications, and some 1,000 estate security installations for room access control in private and public organisations. Fujitsu launched the new compact-size PalmSecure sensor in Spring of 2006, providing organisations with a highly reliable method of biometric authentication. The new sensor measures W35xL35xH27 mm, just a quarter of its predecessors size, and is almost twice as fast in the authentication process as the previous model.

Leading deployments
Since its global introduction, the Fujitsu PalmSecure biometric authentication sensor has become a vital element in the security of banks, hospitals, and other enterprises where accurate identification is absolutely mandatory. Some of its deployments include automated teller machines (ATMs) and safe deposit access controls as well as PC log-in security at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFI; academic records access controls at the Chiba Institute of Technology; access controls to server rooms and medical records at the University of Tokyo Hospital; condominium entrance security at the Meiwa Estate Company, Ltd. as well as card-less checkout controls at the Naka City Library of Japan.

Basic functionality
PalmSecureTM works with near-infrared technology to recognise the complex pattern of human palm veins. At first, oxygen-enriched blood flows into the vessels of the palm and then it flows reduced by a certain amount of oxygen back in the direction of the heart. At a wavelength of approx. 760 nm, the oxygen-reduced blood in the veins absorbs the infrared light of the PalmSecureTM sensor. The vein pattern is captured by the sensor's wide-angle infrared camera. An encoded raw image is then generated within the sensor and transmitted via its USB 2.0 interface to the authentication library (usually stored on a server or similar). The authentication library converts the raw image to a template, which will then be further encoded and archived. These templates later serve as comparative data to permit and/or refuse registered persons access and thus prevent non-registered or unauthorised persons acquiring access.

Difficult to forge
As the veins of the palms are beneath the bodys surface and the vein pattern is extremely complex, making forgery or manipulation virtually impossible. PalmSecure functions without any contact and can be used by practically anybody. The technology is affected neither by illnesses (diabetes, neurodermitis) nor by interference on the skin such as dirt, moisture, oil, abrasions, heat and/or cold. These features, as well as its high system precision, make the PalmSecure a highly secure and reliable system for verifying and identifying people in a whole variety of environments.
 
Awarded technology
Fujitsus PalmSecureTM technology has gained outstanding recognition, which includes the The Wall Street Journal 2005 Technology Innovation Award for Security (Network Category), the Best of Innovations 2006 Award at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in the biometry category, merit awards from major Japanese daily newspapers (Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nikkan Kougyou Shimbun), and the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization.