ANY building, any where, can upgrade to a biometrics access control solution with minimum cost and low administration thanks to a patented technology from an Australian company.
The biometrics solution from Microlatch is based on their patented wireless fingerprint platform. The new system enables immediate and relatively easy upgrading of any building or secure environment from a card based access control system to a biometrics solution.
“Historically this has been cumbersome, expensive and usually involved extensive management infrastructure to accommodate database, enrolment and lost-card replacement systems,” said Microlatch CEO Chris Burke. “On top of this, there’s usually the expense of complete building re-wiring to accommodate expansive communications systems, all of which has made the upgrade to biometrics only suitable for military or government applications.”
The Microlatch solution is card technology indifferent. It offers instant results without the need to completely re-wire the reader system and eliminates the ongoing complexity of back-end management operations. Everything can be accomplished at the card access reader.
The use of existing access cards remains; the Microlatch solution simply adds the fingerprint verification to the card system as a coordinated solution. The key is the unique way in which the existing card number which is matched against the storage of the card owner’s fingerprint template in a memory location.
The resultant fingerprint storage creates a user database within the card/biometrics access unit, to ensure fast and secure matching of card numbers and fingerprints at the card reader.
The main aspect of the system is that the user database is created when a card owner presents their access card at the card/biometrics access reader. If a successful match is obtained, the output of the user card remains the same and is passed through to the pre-existing channel or back-end controller.
The existing user card does not need to be changed in any manner, it just provides the memory location number of the owner. Should the card be lost, it cannot be used without a fingerprint combination, therefore anyone finding or stealing the card will not be able to enter the facility. The card/biometrics reader can accept any card technology.
“There is no need to drastically modify an existing installation in order to upgrade to biometric,” said Burke. “The database is created when the customer first uses the system. Enrolment is achieved with the first card swipe, when the fingerprint of the user is recognised as belonging to that specific user’s card number. The next time they access the facility, verification of their fingerprint against the stored fingerprint template belonging to their access card is undertaken.”