Lumidigm deploys biometric fingerprint readers to a Latin American Bank

Lumidigm's readers provide good reads on the first try by viewing the surface and subsurface of fingerprints

Lumidigm, working in consort with Itautec, an $800+ million Brazilian manufacturer/integrator of consumer electronics, banking and retail automation and a provider of complete IT services, is now deploying the first 12,000 units of a 33,000-unit ATM network with Lumidigm’s multispectral fingerprint readers for one of Latin America’s largest private banks. The Lumidigm biometric fingerprint readers are minimizing the problems of ID theft and reducing the waste, fraud and abuse that are prevalent with PIN (personal ID number) accessed ATMs in a very convenient manner.

The multinational bank had concerns that multiple identities were being employed by some people within their banking system. The organization needed a way to insure that each person had only one identity and provide all customers with secure access to their accounts.  A biometric would solve both challenges.  To be successful, high reliability was critical at the ATMs because their use is not typically supervised; there may not be a person on hand for customers to consult if there is a problem with a transaction. Because Lumidigm’s multispectral imaging technology provides good reads on the first try by viewing the surface and subsurface of fingerprints in any condition, Lumidigm fingerprint readers were chosen for the ATMs.  As a result, security has been increased with a simple, easy, intuitive touch of a finger.

The Itautec ATM system will be shown at Booth #I12 at the CIAB Show to be held 20-22 June at the Transamerica Center Fairgrounds in São Paulo.

“Itautec has the tenth largest number of ATMs being used in the world so we needed a solution that works,” reports Fabrizio Vargas, the person responsible for Biometric Systems at Itautec.  “The system must work each and every time in order to provide the level of security and performance demanded by banking customers.  We picked the Lumidigm readers because no matter the condition of bank customers’ fingerprints — wet, dirty, dry, or damaged — users are able to access the ATM and do their banking with the simple single touch of a finger, without supervision. This deployment is leading the way in showing the world’s banking community how to take the next step in providing convenience to their customers and security for themselves.” 

“Lumidigm’s Venus sensors provide a highly intuitive way to enhance security for bank customers and increase the user’s convenience when interfacing with the bank."

“Lumidigm’s Venus sensors provide a highly intuitive way to enhance security for bank customers and increase the user’s convenience when interfacing with the bank.  Your finger is your PIN,” adds Lumidigm Vice President-Transactions Bill Spence.  “It’s a worldwide phenomenon. In South Africa, several large banks have also begun to deploy identity systems that utilise fingerprint biometrics as a means to achieve their goals. Providing customers with an easy way to access their accounts, while adding increased security in a most visible manner, creates enhanced customer satisfaction.”

With its highly advanced financial systems technology, Latin America’s financial organizations are leveraging new technologies to increase the security of their systems.  As a result, financial institutions in Latin America are embracing fingerprint technology for their ATMs. In addition to enhancing security, banks are able to provide additional convenience for their customers because there is no need for training — customers just put their fingers down. Biometrics, formerly employee-centric and typically confined to the back room, are now being put in front of the customer with confidence.