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Big-money biometrics transactions made headlines again this week. Biometrics update, along with new applications, brings positive signs to the market. The project to use Wicket’s biometric software at the Australian Open could expand next year, with Truststamp’s somber report containing seeds of future growth. A little further down the maturity curve, Incognia is the latest company to raise millions of dollars to fuel further growth. Investment Cap Vision-Box is the industry’s latest major acquisition, with Amadeus investing hundreds of millions of euros. ID card chips also made headlines, including Regula’s new scan test kit.
This week’s biometrics top news
Kenya’s national ID cards will need to be renewed after 10 years as the computer chip in the cards expires, government officials said. The measures are aimed at preserving the integrity of the cards and bringing them in line with international practices, although neighboring Tanzania to the south recently abolished the expiry date for its national ID cards.
Regula has developed a service that allows businesses to test scanning NFC chips in ID documents when setting up remote ID verification. The company’s NFC TestKit includes sample documentation, which Regula says will help speed implementation and improve security.
Nepal plans to use biometrics across its identity ecosystem, including national ID cards, civil registration, and now passports. However, if Nepalis have already re-registered their biometrics, there is no need to do so as the government will use the existing database. For those who have not yet registered their biometrics, the same gear used for previous registration will be used.
Ugandan officials are rumored to have asked for the country’s ID authority, NIRA, to be merged with the Citizenship and Immigration Service. Such a move would require a higher level of approval than has been required so far. NIRA is purchasing 5,500 biometric registration kits for the mass registration of Uganda’s new national ID cards, but their prices are soaring.
Although Cameroon won the conflict over the Bakassi Peninsula more than 20 years ago, most of the region’s residents still lack legal identification. Our feature article explores this troubling situation through interviews with local authorities and people who want ID but don’t have one, and in some cases have registered their data.
The finalists for UNDP’s 2023 Future of Government Award include several organizations implementing digital identity initiatives. Candidates include Brazil’s Digital Identity Directorate, PhilSys and Service NSW. Winners will be announced on February 15th.
A UK government department has launched a consultation into allowing people to prove their age with a digital ID when purchasing alcohol. Requiring age verification for alcohol sales and deliveries is also being considered, but a combination of distrust and misunderstanding about how the technology works could pose a major hurdle.
Trust Stamp’s new whitepaper examines the threat of quantum computing to biometric authentication and provides a set of recommendations to mitigate it. The company says biometric hashes and AES symmetric encryption with larger keys and hashes should be secure, but criminals are already running “collect now, decrypt later” schemes. Organizations need to start preparing now.
Wicket’s facial biometrics was used on a limited basis at this year’s Australian Open to gain entry without presenting a physical or digital ticket. “Premium Experience Entry Point” corporate tickets use Wicket’s facial recognition through Ticketmaster’s AO Express Entry program, which could expand for next year’s Tennis Tournament.
Amadeus will acquire Vision-Box for $347 million to integrate the Portuguese company’s biometric gate and digital ID software product line with border and travel services. The result is a seamless traveler experience across the entire journey from booking to boarding, the companies said.
Incognia’s $31 million Series B funding round is led by a venture firm with a strong SaaS portfolio. The funding will be used to expand operations in North America and EMEA, product development, and expand Incognia into new areas of behavioral biometrics, device profiling, and location identification technology.
Let us know about interviews, panel discussions, or other content you’ve seen that you think is worth sharing with people in the biometrics and broader digital identity communities, either in the comments below or via social media.
Article topics
Biometrics | Digital Identity | Identity Management | Investing | Weekly Review
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