From: Corné Prozesky
Institution: Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Facility Name: Student Recreation Center
Spotlight Type: Tech Upgrade
Description: With our new departmental software system, we were able to integrate biometric access control to our Facility as well as our Equipment Check out processes.
The HandReader records and stores the three-dimensional shape of the human hand for comparison and identity verification. Upon verification, the HandReader produces an output that can unlock a door, send card format data to an access control panel, or communicate with a host computer.
Biometric is a term describing the automatic measurement and comparison of human characteristics. While its origins are ancient, the evolution of advanced scanning and microprocessor technology brought biometrics into everyday life. Electronic hand geometry technology first appeared in the 1970s. Schlage Biometrics Inc., founded in 1986, built the first mass-produced hand geometry readers and made biometric technology affordable for the commercial market.
The HandReader uses low-level infrared light, and a CMOS camera to capture a three-dimensional image of the hand. The HandReader then converts the image to a 9 byte electronic template, and stores the template in a database with the user’s information. To gain access, the user enters his or her ID number at the HandReader’s keypad or uses an external card reader. The HandReader prompts the user to place his or her hand on the reader’s platen. The HandReader compares the hand on the platen with the user’s unique template. If the images match, the HandReader unlocks the door or sends the user’s ID number to a third-party access control panel for verification.
