biometrics

What technology made fingerprint biometrics popular for payments?

Apple Pay with Touch ID.

What is the world’s first fingerprint-authenticated payment card?

MasterCard + Zwipe’s contactless fingerprint payment card.

Which bank uses finger vein biometrics for corporate customers?

Barclays (with Hitachi).

Why is finger vein technology considered highly secure?

Vein patterns are unique, form in the womb, and stay largely unchanged for life.

What physical features does voice biometrics analyze?

Vocal tract geometry, harmonics, pitch, and range.

Which UK banks offer voice biometric login for online banking?

First Direct and HSBC.

Which Indian bank launched voice biometrics?

ICICI Bank.

What is unique about Citibank’s voice biometrics project in the UK?

It auto-identifies customers while they speak to customer service.

When was retina biometrics developed and what does it analyze?

1980s; blood vessel patterns at the back of the eye.

Which companies launched an iris-scanning smartphone for mobile payments?

NTT DoCoMo & Fujitsu (Japan).

What biometric method uses ECG patterns for authentication?

Heartbeat biometrics.

Why isn’t heartbeat biometrics widely used yet?

It's complex and still emerging.

Which device used ECG for biometric payments in a pilot with MasterCard?

Nymi wristband by Bionym (Toronto).

What two features does the Nymi wristband combine?

ECG sensor (authentication) + NFC chip (wireless payment).

What is the basic principle of facial biometrics?

Uses unique facial features for identification/authentication.

Which company created facial recognition payment systems?

Unik (Finland).

Name one government that uses facial recognition for public surveillance.

China.

What are some real-world uses of facial recognition in China?

Catching jaywalkers, identifying criminals, even preventing toilet roll theft.

How do retailers use facial recognition commercially?

To identify customers and track shopping habits via CCTV.