Biometric kiosks deploy to Dubai airport
30 January, 2018
category: Biometrics, Digital ID, Government
New biometric kiosks at Dubai International Airport promise to reduce the hassles of boarding for many passengers, and help to ensure that the facility remains among the most advanced when it comes to speeding travelers through lines. The deployment of the Access500e identity management kiosks by Princeton Identity Inc. comes shortly after the airport announced an innovative program involving mobile passports and biometric travel checks.
The kiosks use facial and iris recognition technology to identify passengers within one or two seconds, reducing time spent in security lines and enhancing the overall travel experience.
U.S.-based biometric security company Princeton Identity said it has already deployed about 100 of the Access500e biometric kiosks in the airport, with approximately 40 more scheduled for installation “in the near future in order to support the influx of new international tourists.” The airport served nearly 14.6 million international travelers in 2016, with 20 million expected by 2020.
The kiosks use facial and iris recognition technology to identify passengers within “one or two seconds,” Princeton Identity said, “reducing time spent in security lines and enhancing the overall travel experience.”
The kiosks are integrated into the airport’s “Smart Gates”—also known at the Eyen gate system—which can capture biometric signals. Before using those gates, eligible passengers must download the free Smart UAW Wallet App from Google or Apple. The app holds passport and other travel details for the passenger, who then scans the phone’s bar code at the smart gate, and presents the biometric.
Biometric kiosks can save time
The Smart Gate and biometric authentication process frees passengers from having to check in with customs agents, which also saves time for airport staff. Princeton said it worked with United Arab Emirates-based technology firm Emaratech to install the kiosks.
“Iris recognition is most reliable form of biometric identification, and the Access500e turns what used to be a slow process for travelers into a convenient, quick and more secure experience,” said Mark Clifton, Princeton Identity CEO. “DXB has always set a high bar in terms of innovative and future-forward experiences, and we applaud the leadership team’s decision to tap the power of iris recognition to further enhance both traveler satisfaction and security.”
Late last year, Dubai officials announced a plan that eventually would enable fliers at the airport to walk onto planes with only smartphones instead of passports and boarding passes. Dubai travel authentication authorities also announced a plan to enable first- and business-class travelers to use a biometrically-based home-to-boarding service. It would enable fliers to ride to the airport in a Tesla vehicle that employs facial recognition and other technology to confirm the passenger’s identity, handle check-in luggage and reduce waiting time at the airport.
These advancements, coupled with the new biometric kiosks, promise to keep Dubai among the world’s most convenient and secure airports.