Biometrics Promise a Wallet-Free Future

What’s the Latest Development?

If you can wave your hand in front of a sensor, you can leave your wallet at home. New biometric technology allows people to pay for goods and services by opening their palm in front of a sensor which recognizes the unique positioning of veins beneath their skin. “The technology is affordable enough that one Florida school district is already deploying it in its cafeterias to allow students to make purchases.” Rather than storing the image permanently, near infrared light emitted by the sensor makes a unique identifier of a palm. 

What’s the Big Idea?

Biometric technology is currently used in fingerprint, voice, iris and face identification systems. But using a scanner to identify the unique pattern of veins in the palm is non-invasive and superior to cell phone payment technology. “The unique pattern of veins in your hand can’t be stolen, for example, and neither can your credit card if you choose to leave it at home. A biometric marker could also be used as a second authentication factor for existing payment systems, virtually eliminating credit card fraud at physical stores.”