Biometric vending machines sell marijuana, lead the way on digital identity?
24 July, 2017
category: Biometrics, Corporate, Digital ID, Government
This past April, American Green, Inc. premiered a prototype of the latest advancement in the legal cannabis industry: a biometric vending machine that verifies you’re of legal age and authorized to buy whatever the machine is selling. American Green is in the business of selling hemp-based products, but the American Green Machines, as they’re called, are equipped to sell anything that is age or prescription-restricted, from alcohol to marijuana and firearms to pharmaceuticals. It is up to the owner of the vending machine to decide what it includes, as well as have the proper licensing, and possibly legislation, required.
Although seemingly unrelated, the identity verification process used by biometric vending machines is reminiscent of steps being taken by the U.S. government in the adoption of digital identities.
But the machines are pointing toward more than a more open societal view on cannabis. They are also securely vetting identities and providing digital credentials in a manner similar to that being pursued in Federal government and other enterprise ID systems.
How the biometric vending machines work
The process of getting verified is strong, though perhaps arduous to some. Before making their first purchase, a customer must download the proper app to their phone and create an account. Then they must take their government-issued ID to a kiosk, staffed online by a real person who verifies that the person who has created the account is the same person on the ID.
The kiosk staff then will send a QR code to the customer’s phone or email, which they must enter into the app. “Upon arrival at the physical machine, patrons login to their account, verify with the biometric control, and simply display the QR code on their smartphone to retrieve the product or products they purchased,” American Green states on their website.
The American Green Machines use vascular biometrics – reading the unique vein architecture –as the biometric identifier rather than a traditional fingerprint biometric. The scanner looks at how the veins in the finger are shaped and stacked, which is as unique an attribute as the fingerprint itself. And yes, American Green biometric scanners utilize liveness detection to ensure blood is running through the veins in order for the scanner to read it, just in case someone is desperate enough to cut off your finger to access your medicinal marijuana prescription.
The kiosks can also restrict how much of a certain substance a customer buys, for example, not allowing a customer to purchase more than a few beers at a basketball game. American Green says we should expect to start seeing the vending machines in “pretty visible locations,” such as casinos, stadiums, and dispensaries in the near future.
Biometric vending machines meet digital identity
Although seemingly unrelated, the identity verification process used by biometric vending machines is reminiscent of steps being taken by the U.S. government in the adoption of digital identities.
On many government websites, users must reenter different usernames and password combinations for verification, over and over. This is because most government services don’t communicate with one another. But like the technology American Green is introducing, the government could take a page out of their book by pre-vetting individuals, potentially enrolling a biometric identifier, and delivering a digital ID to be used across all government agencies. With digital IDs citizens can apply for a driver license, vote, sign legal documents, change their government documents, and so much more.
While it is in the very early stages, the possibilities this technology creates are endless both for the automated sale of controlled or restricted substances and for the implications for digital identity.