Improving security with biometrics

Big business and big government have had it for quite a while. Now small businesses are able to use biometrics to improve security. <br><br>News on Six consumer reporter Rick Wells says lots and lots

Tuesday, October 22nd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Big business and big government have had it for quite a while. Now small businesses are able to use biometrics to improve security.

News on Six consumer reporter Rick Wells says lots and lots of places have some sort of access security. Some use a code you have to type in, others use credit card looking things. An increasing number of small businesses are getting fingertip control of their security.

Robin's a new employee at Darryl Baskin's real estate office in Broken Arrow. She uses her new access code to get in the door, her fingerprint. No more cards codes; everything she needs is at her fingertips, uh her fingertip. Darryl Baskin: "Cards can be lost or stolen or left at home, the old code system, codes can be given away and you have to always memorize new codes."

This is much simpler and easier to manage, in the long run he says it's a cost saving, and more secure. "From a management standpoint it was much easier for us to assign someone a fingerprint they already have, it couldn't be traded, there was just no, the record keeping was very simple." Adding people to the system is pretty simple, once the computer records a good image of the fingerprint. They're in, no cards no codes.

This system was installed by Holder Security it's the same system you may already have in your home or office. It's more expensive. The thing that keeps this from being more widely used is the cost you think? Steve Blanton: "yeah, I would say so, I would say so."

That fingerprint reader at the front door is 3 or 4 time more expensive than the keypad or card reader, but the cost is coming down. A local bank recently installed a palm reader, as an access system to the safe deposit area. They are more secure, easier to manage, and as the cost comes down biometric will be more widely used.

Voiceprints and retinal scanners are in use now but are just too expensive for most small systems but the cost will come down on them too.