New IR Recognition Systems FingerKey DX Reader Provides Lower-Cost Biometric Alternative
24 March, 2004
category: Biometrics, Corporate, Education
Fingerprint-Based Product Provides Ideal Indoor Access Control Solution for Smaller User Populations
CAMPBELL, CALIF. – March 24, 2004 – IR Recognition Systems, the biometric component of Ingersoll-Rand’s (IR) Security & Safety Group’s Electronic Access Control Division (EACD), today announced the debut of its new FingerKey DX fingerprint access control reader, a low-cost biometric alternative designed to secure smaller user populations.
“Ingersoll-Rand will provide and support both fingerprint and hand geometry, the two top biometric technologies used for access control applications,” reports IR Recognition Systems Director of Marketing Bill Spence. “Dealers and integrators will be able to objectively provide technology alternatives carrying the same trusted brand name, support and solutions, fitting the appropriate biometric technology to each and every access point. Now everyone, especially end-users, can have confidence in their chosen biometric technology with a proven solution from a proven source, IR Recognition Systems.”
The FingerKey DX reader includes a keypad and LCD display. An optional proximity reader, memory and Ethernet upgrades are also available. A user simply enters a PIN code or presents a proximity card, which calls up a template to scan. Then, a user places a finger on the FingerKey reader for verification against that local template. Verification takes less than two seconds.
Integration to access control systems is simple with the FingerKey. On successful verification, the FingerKey outputs the ID number in a Wiegand format to an access control panel. Both standard and proprietary formats are supported. Alternate facility codes can be sent on invalid verifications and other alarm conditions. A large red, green and amber light bar provides excellent user feedback. The access panel or FingerKey controls the operation of the light bar, as well as the buzzer, insuring accurate feedback to the user.
Two fingers per user can be scanned into the system. Fifty users is the standard configuration but the FingerKey reader can handle up to 100 users with an optional memory upgrade. FingerKey units can also be linked together via an RS-485 network to share enrollment information. No PC is required to enroll users, as the enrollment reader will automatically download to other FingerKeys in the network.
“Small user populations are where most fingerprint readers are being used successfully.” explains Spence. “We’ve designed a low cost, yet robust biometric access control product targeted to meet that need. In these applications, the total number of transactions tends to be fairly low. Therefore, user and administrative issues generated by the higher error rates exhibited in fingerprint technology versus hand geometry ends up being a minor inconvenience rather than a major hassle.”
“However,” Spence adds, “employing fingerprint scanning technology provides a huge increase in security over a ‘card only’ system. For such low volume openings, cost is a key consideration and the FingerKey reader meets that need. This type of application is a major growth area for biometrics in general and the FingerKey reader in specific. For instance, it is ideal for a lab area and sensitive document and high value storage locations that may be accessed by 20 or 30 people. FingerKey readers also squeeze into small areas, like at the door to a medical dispensary. ”
“The FingerKey series of fingerprint readers brings biometric security to those low volume applications that have been waiting for a trusted product from a trusted source,” says Spence. “Hand geometry and fingerprint technologies complement each other and together encompass close to 80 percent of all biometric access control solutions.”
About IR Recognition Systems
With over 75,000 hand geometry units throughout the world reading millions of hands each day, IR Recognition Systems, founded in 1986, is the pioneer of hand recognition technology used in access control, time and attendance and identification applications. The company is the world sales leader of biometric verification devices and serves an international clientele from its headquarters in Campbell, Calif. The website is www.handreader.com. Phone is 408-341-4100. Recognition Systems is the biometric component of Ingersoll-Rand Corporation’s Security & Safety Group’s Electronic Access Control Division. The Ingersoll-Rand website is www.irco.com.