Contactless, Mobile, Digital: Biometrics Beyond The Pandemic

Biometrics, We are returning to a “normal” life. Everything reopens or will reopen, with different timings depending on the countries and activities. But despite the vaccination campaign, which is going on massively in many states, we cannot afford to let our guard down. Not only the masks but all the control devices introduced to contain the pandemic will keep us company for years, if not forever. And there are technologies that, precisely because of the coronavirus, have made a significant leap forward in the market and have consolidated, even for the future, we all hope, without health emergencies. According to research by Research and Markets, this is the case with biometrics.

According to this interesting research by Research and Markets, the global biometrics market is expected to double in the two years 2020 to 2021. However, with very respectable figures for a market so far “niche,”: we are talking about 4,104.11 million dollars by 2025, with a CAGR of 14.71%.

But what will be the areas where this technology will find new functions and possibilities of use? 

Workplaces

Intuitively, reopening presents new challenges, such as maintaining a healthy work environment. And in this context, the detection of body temperature integrated with access control becomes more and more a priority, as well as signaling if an incoming person does not wear personal protective equipment. Biometrics plays a key role in this context, with readers integrated with thermal vision technologies for sensing high temperatures. Devices that are almost always contactless by default and therefore also avoid one of the other most frequent risks, which is touching potentially infected objects. 

In the cabinet

Furthermore, biometrics has long since evolved, just like contactless technology, also towards mobile devices. Today it is possible to open the doors with the telephone, using unique apps that replace the traditional cards. Among other things, these APPs allow multi-factor authentication, which becomes an additional security guarantee. 

Retail e hotel

And, going beyond the virus, biometric facial recognition technologies also represent an effective security system in other sectors. An example for everyone can be retail, where it is possible to improve the relationship between the customer and the seller’s operations. In this way, it is possible to send personalized promotions according to the customer’s position in the shop or, in the case of hotels, by recognizing the person, it is possible to implement increasingly “targeted” reception strategies. 

Towards AI

Biometric recognition technologies, therefore, are no longer limited to access control, which still represents the most significant part of the market. In fact, they are evolving toward artificial intelligence, deep learning, and artificial vision technologies, which allow you to combine the images of the cameras with the data in certain databases: in short, biometrics is becoming a real “killer application.” In the digital transformation that is affecting the whole world. 

All digital

Because if it is true that facial recognition systems beyond Covid-19 are associated with airports and critical structures, few know that these technologies, today, are also used by social networks, for marketing purposes, for screening of patients in the health sector, in some states for electronic voting and, in a rapidly growing sector, for mobile banking and the entire vertical market for online payments. 

Big brother

Of course, all this can be a little scary because it seems to be catapulted into a scene from 1984, the famous novel by Orwell. But, like it or not, we have reached 2021, several years later, and now the “big brother” is really everywhere, even where we do not expect it. And, we must say, the pandemic has accustomed us to be more and more “controlled.” Whether this is good or not and how it conflicts with the right to privacy is a matter that goes beyond this context. Technology cannot be stopped, especially if it is to save lives or avoid any danger.

Also Read : Smart Home: Covid Drives Home Intelligence