State and local governments in India and other countries have issued directives to businesses to (at least temporarily) cease the use of fingerprint biometrics in the face of the Coronavirus threat. As experts in the biometric industry, we note that there is one obvious downfall to this thinking. Our sales team has been in countless meetings where the question is asked “Do employees really want to touch something that every other employee has touched?” and this objection has a simple answer which is “Dear customer, how many other surfaces do you touch that every other employee has touched (i.e. door handles, light switches, conference room equipment, refrigerator handle in a shared lunchroom, etc.)?” This simple argument should easily overcome the objection during normal times, but the crisis of the moment makes our current situation anything but normal. No doubt it would be reasonable for companies to take additional measures to periodically sanitize door handles and other frequently touched surfaces. Likewise, users of fingerprint biometric devices might be wise to use alcohol-based sterilizing wipes to periodically clean the fingerprint sensors and touchscreens of fingerprint biometric devices. Biometric devices are typically deployed where additional security is required and as such we would not recommend to our customers to abandon the additional security provided by biometrics; after all, a crisis like COVID-19 might be the perfect opportunity for malicious actors to exploit weaknesses and distractions. Also, during this time of economic uncertainty enterprises and industries will be forced to do more with less and hence biometric time tracking of workforces is all the more important instead of resorting to antiquated means that could have a direct impact on lost productivity.

A trend that was already underway before the proliferation of COVID-19 is a shift to touchless biometric technologies. There are many touchless technologies on the market; facial recognition, iris scanners, touchless fingerprint/palmprint, and touchless vascular recognition. At Invixium, we pride ourselves in our deep knowledge and expertise of various biometric technologies and routinely ask the question “what *should* customers be using?” rather than “what is the customer asking for?” This forward-leaning question compels us towards facial recognition technology for touchless biometrics. Some considerations that bring us to this conclusion are ease-of-use, all-round performance and suitability for different environments. Touchless fingerprint, palmprint, and vascular recognition are not suitable for outdoor environments generally, let alone any type of rugged environment like construction sites or refineries. Iris technology tends to be difficult to use due to the requirement for the user to bring their eye quite close to the scanner and remain very still without blinking. Iris scanning also can offer a very low level of performance for users with very light-colored eyes, as they have difficulty when there are reflections in the eye, and frequently exposing the eye to infrared light can be dangerous to the health of users’ eyes.

In leading with facial recognition as our solution for touchless biometrics, Invixium offers IXM TITAN. TITAN is first and foremost the most powerful facial recognition device on the market with a 1:N capacity of 100,000 users and an identification speed of less than 1 second. TITAN is a device that is suitable for any industry, even in the harshest outdoor environment, yet elegantly blends with even the most sophisticated indoor space. Users of TITAN have the option of combining up to 4 factors of authentication but if the driving-need is for touchless technology, customers can leverage a powerful one-to-many matching or easily implement dual-factor authentication with Card + Face. While facial recognition has gained some notoriety as of late, it’s important to understand that not all facial recognition technology is the scary kind; facial recognition technology used in conjunction with CCTV video for potential mass surveillance or passive tracking of people no-doubt raises some hairs on the back of the neck. What facial recognition devices like TITAN do is very different. Users must first consent to be enrolled, biometric templates are stored securely within a completely closed system owned and managed by the end-user, and users have to present themselves to the device to be recognized. When in 1:1 mode, the camera on TITAN is not active until a user presents their access card. Lastly, TITAN works seamlessly within a whole ecosystem of biometric devices offered by Invixium, giving the customer the ability to choose from a wide portfolio of products.

In summary, a few key takeaways would be:

• COVID-19 is daunting only because it’s unknown but some data suggests that the virus is not much more virulent or deadly than common illnesses like the flu.
• Everyone can take reasonable precautions to avoid contracting and spreading the illness including frequent hand washing, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer and cleaning frequently touched surfaces with sanitizing wipes.
• We don’t recommend abandoning the use of existing fingerprint devices but as with any other surface that is touched frequently, normal precautions should include cleaning the surface of the fingerprint sensor with alcohol-based wipes.
• Touchless biometric products have been gaining popularity even before the Coronavirus outbreak and we expect this trend to accelerate perhaps due to fear of future contagions more so that then the current pandemic.
• When choosing a touchless biometric solution, we recommend facial recognition due to ease-of-use, performance, the availability of products like TITAN which are suitable for different environments.

Our expert sales team is here to help you through tough decisions concerning your use of biometrics or your larger security and workforce management scheme. As always, we hope to be your favorite biometric partner not only by offering the best technologies available anywhere in the world but by bringing you the knowledge and guidance to make well-informed decisions and strive to bring you a full portfolio of options that work seamlessly together as part of a single ecosystem and a well-thought-out physical security and workforce management plan. Contact your local Invixium salesperson to learn more about our perspective on the COVID-19 outbreak, what precautions you should take, and how you can transition to using touchless biometrics.  

The post Adopt Touchless Biometrics in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on Invixium.

A recent report from Research and Markets summarized that “the market (i.e. facial recognition market) is driven mostly by companies and government organizations that are trying to digitize certain mundane everyday activities such as attendance to save time and eliminate human interference”. This goes to show that the use of facial recognition is no longer restricted to security, but now includes convenience, speed, durability, and ease of use. The report goes on to state that the facial recognition market grew to reached an estimated $4.3 billion US in 2018 and is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of ~13.5% over the next 6 years to a massive $10.43 billion US by 2025.

These numbers do not come as any surprise considering facial recognition as a biometric technology is extremely versatile. It can be and should be used not only for access control and identity verification but also for high throughput time tracking (also known as time and attendance or workforce management in some parts of the world) or home automation. When integrated with an enterprise-grade software, facial recognition has the potential to achieve multiple objectives through a single device. Invixium’s management team was cognizant of this upcoming trend, which is why in 2016, Invixium embarked on the development of a stunning facial recognition product. It was evident even at this time, that face recognition would soon become a dominant biometric technology. This vision coupled with Invixium’s unyielding passion to engineer the best in class products purpose-built for physical access control and workforce management, gave birth to IXM TITAN. Incorporating trusted technologies to bring the best of security and convenience to our customers, TITAN was developed not as a “one of a kind” biometric product, but as the “only product of its kind” using proprietary AI-based facial recognition technology for superior performance in access control and attendance management applications.

Since the launch of TITAN, Invixium has seen tremendous traction from the market – a testament to its phenomenal capabilities that have broadened the adoption of biometrics into new markets. TITAN has been deployed in a variety of applications in extreme environments throughout the world. From remote construction sites using TITAN’s cellular connectivity to transfer attendance data of thousands of workers to a central server; to data centers and nuclear power plants taking advantage of the dual biometrics and 4-factor authentication (Face + Finger + Card + PIN) features for enhanced security. At the crux of it all lies the facial recognition technology, poised to become the shining star of the biometric industry, if it hasn’t already. 

To know more about IXM TITAN, visit www.invixium.com/ixm-titan-face-recognition or fill out the form here and someone from our team will contact you.

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IXM TITAN was launched boldly in 2018, and proclaimed to be “The Most Advanced Biometric Product Ever Engineered”. The product made an instant impact, sending shock-waves across the industry and winning the hearts of distributors, installers and customers for its elegant design, rugged construction and revolutionary features. The market introduction of a product with such aggressive technical specifications and a premium price point made it seem almost too good to be true. Everyone wanted to know more about the TITAN but only a few believed in its prowess.

We had to somehow show the world what TITAN is capable of and that it could live up to the expectations.

Based on a request for a PoC (Proof of Concept) from a potential customer, we scoured for an ideal locale and discovered the perfect spot in an Indian metro city. TITANs were installed at a live construction site where traditional biometric products have failed to work consistently. Mounted on portable stainless-steel stands, the TITANs were used for authentication and time tracking of all the workers at the site, every morning and evening. The testing was done over a period of 4 weeks for performance reporting of various features such as face recognition in bright sunlight as well as total darkness, liveness detection, data transfer over 4G cellular connectivity, throughput speed, battery performance, water and impact testing, fingerprint authentication with poor fingers and more. All workers enrolled their face as well as their fingerprints. Fast data transfer was achieved via 4G cellular connectivity to a laptop where IXM WEB was installed. The administrator was able to remotely monitor the attendance without having to be present at the site. This allowed for time and attendance reporting straight from IXM WEB for payroll management of the workers.

The building management was fascinated by the simplicity of the solution and could already see the ROI over the long term. In addition to the costs saved by preventing time theft, IXM TITAN also boosts efficiency because of the high throughput rate of more than 15 people per minute. This reduces the long queues at the beginning and end of every shift, saving time and thus money for the organisation as well as the workers. See below for expected ROI in 1 year when using Invixium Time Tracking Solutions:

Based on the initial results of the PoC, TITAN delivered exemplary results in a real life deployment scenario. Since the release of the video in early January, the demand of TITAN has skyrocketed!

Invixium solutions are designed to be the best-in-class and deliver extended value through improved efficiency and enhanced productivity. Some of the clear advantages include:

• Improved safety due to biometrics – no time theft and buddy punching; audit trail and traceability; muster reports during emergencies and disasters
• Enhanced productivity and workforce management for companies
• Reduced waste – low paper consumption; eliminates plastic cards, keys, fobs, etc.
• Lower costs – reduced insurance costs, ROI in first year
• Social sustainability – precise payroll management, fast moving queues

If you are a distributor, installer or customer interested in purchasing the Invixium solutions, please reach out to us at sales@invixium.com or experience@invixium.com and we will be happy to assist. If you would like to get a demo of the product, visit us at the ISC West Expo in Las Vegas from April 10-12, 2019. Get your free passes here.

For all other details, visit:
invixium.com

The post IXM TITAN at a Live Construction Site: The Story Behind the Video appeared first on Invixium.

Here are some top areas of an educational institute where biometrics are in demand and the solutions that Invixium has developed to overcome these challenges:

Biometric Access for Lab Facilities and Clean Rooms

Credits: Princeton University

Top universities across the globe are doing incredible research using both biological and radiological materials that would be very dangerous if removed from the lab environment. For obvious reasons, these facilities require the highest level of security which can be achieved with IXM TITAN, providing up to 4-factor authentication (Face, Finger, Card, PIN) including 2 biometric modalities (Face and Finger). Furthermore, IXM TITAN which has a built-in 21.0 megapixel camera, can serve as a surveillance device for these high-security doors. Watch the TITAN in action here:

Biometric Access for Athletic Facilities

Credits: Queens University

College and university athletic facilities need solutions that allow students to enter and re-enter secured areas during practices or game days. Access cards could easily be lost, stolen, passed around or destroyed during rigorous athletic activities. Additionally, most of the athletic uniforms that students wear tend to not have pockets, which makes it even more difficult for them to carry their cards. Lanyards, on the other hand, present their own challenges as they could create a hazard or be a distraction from maximum performance.

Biometric access provides the opportunity to maintain a high level of security in student locker rooms or equipment rooms while still allowing quick, easy, frictionless and convenient access. IXM SENSE 2 allows for fingerprint access in less than 1 second for up to 20,000 users. When equipped with the Lumidigm multispectral sensor, SENSE 2 FPL series offers the highest level of performance for users who might have moist fingerprints due to sweat or faint surface fingerprints from handling a ball, a racquet or other sporting equipment over the years. Watch the SENSE 2 in action here:

Biometric Access for Student Dining Halls and Cafeterias

Credits: Kingston University

When colleges and universities offer dining plans, it is important to ensure that the authorized student is the one making use of the meal plan. Often students will share their student ID with a friend when they might be off campus or simply having a meal out. It is also too easy for students to lose their cards or for strangers to steal and use the cards. Biometrics can offer an easy way to avoid this and validate that the person holding the ID is the student who is paying for the dining plan. IXM TITAN can offer fast and easy facial recognition or fingerprint authentication for such deployments.

Invixium offers a full range of biometric solutions that meet the needs of any organization and in any environment. They are built with the most rugged construction but designed to elegantly blend in and become a part of any architecture. Invixium products meet the varied individual challenges that occur even within the same facility or campus and Invixium can quickly and painlessly provide bespoke software solutions that solve the business needs of any organization, creating a clear ROI for their next security project.

Have a project where IXM Products would meet your requirements?

Contact us:
sales@invixium.com

For more information, visit:
invixium.com

The post Biometric Access Control in Schools, Colleges and Universities appeared first on Invixium.

They’re on our phones, our computers, our homes, and in our cars. They’ve quietly snuck into the deep corners and crevices of our daily lives, transforming into a microcosm of the tech world with an ever-growing push towards disseminating biometrics to the masses.

Despite their growing prevalence in today’s tech-savvy generation, they still have an air of mystery to them – and it’s not intentional.
Since our biometric devices rely heavily on the high caliber of precision and understanding that goes into creating a fingerprint sensor, we wanted to dedicate an article to explain each of the sensors we offer, how they work, and why it matters.

The Basics of Biometric Access Control

Fingerprint sensors have two functions. The first is to take an image of a fingerprint and convert it into a template using a unique algorithm. The second is to match that template to a recorded template in a database. There are two ways they can do this: optical scanning or capacitance scanning.

Optical sensors use LED light and a camera to generate images. When you place your finger on the glass plate, the LED light flashes and the internal camera takes an image of the valleys and ridges of your finger. Capacitance sensors essentially do the same thing, but instead of sensing a fingerprint using light they use an electric current.

Both sensors have their advantages depending on their uses which we will explain in this article.

Invixium uses 3 different sensors: SecuGen’s optical sensor, NEXT Biometrics’ capacitance sensor, and Lumidigm’s rugged optical sensor. Each will be covered in detail within their respective section.

Sensor Interoperability in Biometric Devices

It’s most likely a term you’ve never heard before, but we can’t stress the importance of it enough.

Sensor interoperability is the ability of all 3 of our sensors to communicate with each other and exchange and make use of information when installed on the same network. If you were to install all 4 of our products on a network, users would be able to enroll on one device and instantly be able to authenticate on any other device on the network. It eliminates the need to enroll users on each device.

This is a feature that no other biometric solution offers, and we’ve pushed our R&D team past their limits to make it possible. Sensor interoperability will inevitably make installers’ lives easier and save system integrators’ infinite hours of precious time. Knowing this, you won’t have to worry about installing different Invixium devices on one network as they are guaranteed to work together seamlessly.

SecuGen Optical Sensor in a Biometric Device

The SecuGen sensor uses optical scanning to capture fingerprints. It produces high quality images for greater precision and less false rejections and acceptances. The sensor is resistant to scratches, corrosion, and other stresses which can be wiped clean without fear of damage.

The SecuGen sensor is a great option for indoor use cases such as inside a home, office building, or small to medium businesses. It is available on the MYCRO, SENSE 2, and TOUCH 2.

NEXT Biometrics Thermal Sensor

The NEXT Biometrics sensor is a capacitance scanner which uses an electric current to collect data and create an image. Thanks to this, it’s tolerant against dirt, grease, and other varying environmental conditions. This particular sensor was used specifically for the MERGE because it’s razor slim design and reliable performance allowed for placement flush to the surface of the device without the need for a cavity.

Optical sensors require a cavity in the body of the device in order to block any ambient light from entering the sensing area. Just like a camera lens gets obstructed when taking a picture near a bright light source, the same applies to optical sensors. This makes a cavity a necessity when designing an optical biometric fingerprint scanner.

With a capacitance sensor, a cavity is not required since they use electrical currents to generate images. This allows for the design of the MERGE to stay sleek and slender without having to worry about incorporating a cavity into the device.

The NEXT Biometrics thermal sensor is available only on the MERGE 2. While all of our devices are IP65-rated to protect against dust and water ingress, the MERGE is recommended for indoor uses such as inside smart homes, offices, and small to medium businesses.

Lumidigm Multispectral Sensor

The Lumidigm sensor is an optical sensor which we recommend for all outdoor environments, especially where users will come across harsh and dirty environmental conditions and for installations where the user population has problematic fingers due to age, genetics or other environmental conditions. The Lumidigm sensor differs from the SecuGen sensor because of what the camera captures an image of.

Rather than capturing an image of the surface of the finger, the Lumidigm sensor uses multispectral imaging to read the fingerprints deep into the subsurface of the epidermis beyond the surface layer of the skin. Thanks to this technology, dirt, water, cuts, and problematic fingers will not stand in the way of users being able to authenticate, hence why it’s an ideal option for harsh environments.

The Lumidigm sensor is recommended for outdoor uses such as outdoor gates, factories, refineries, and other industrial complexes. It is available on the SENSE 2 and TOUCH 2.

As biometrics become a necessity for security enhancements and personal identification, their role in our day-to-day lives will continue to evolve in ways that shape them into more of a requirement, rather than a luxury. Hopefully this article has shed some light on the technology behind sensors and will give you more appreciation for the unsaid hero that lives inside your cellphone and quietly protects your data – every day.

For more information, visit:
invixium.com

The post Get a Sense of Biometric Fingerprint Sensors appeared first on Invixium.

With the introduction of TITAN, Invixium has now ventured into the multi-modal market by adding face recognition and finger vein technologies to its forte. Some of the key features of TITAN include:

• Face recognition with liveness detection
• HITACHI’s finger vein technology for vascular recognition
• LUMIDIGM Venus sensor or FBI certified SECUGEN U20-WR fingerprint sensor
• 5.0″ LCD with Corning Gorilla Glass 4
• 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 21 Megapixel camera for ultra HD 1080p video recording
• Aluminium alloy enclosure

Consisting of a plethora of other mind blowing features, TITAN can be used ANYWHERE, for ANYONE!

The other product announcements at Intersec included:

• TOUCH version 2.0 featuring –
• A 5 Megapixel camera for face detection and capture
• A faster 1 GHz processor and an increased 1 GB RAM
• Increased 1:N User capacity of 20,000
• Two colour options: White with champagne gold finish and Black with a titanium finish
• An Intersec first for the beautifully designed and recently launched IXM MERGE and
• An update to the proprietary Invixium software IXM WEB which is now an Enterprise solution with added modules such as IXM Convert and IXM Link, taking the Invixium product installation closer to plug and play for all system integrators.

With so much to captivate our visitors, it wasn’t a surprise that Invixium saw a flurry of guests on all 3 days and a lot of repeat visitors including leading access control manufacturers, customers interested in becoming Invixium distributors and resellers as well as end customers wanting to buy Invixium products right off the demo walls. Yes, it was a fantastic Intersec for Invixium and we plan to build on this momentum in 2017!

For more product enquiries, please contact:
sales@invixium.com
For more information, visit
invixium.com

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