The automation revolution will be biometric

Robot check-in: The hotel concierge goes hi-tech (BBC)

It will be staffed by 10 life-like robots, with only two flesh-and-blood staff members on the premises.

The robots will greet guests, carry bags, and even clean rooms once a guest leaves. Complete with an eerily realistic female face, they are designed to speak several languages and respond to guest enquiries in the 72-room hotel.

The aim is to create an all-round hi-tech experience, including facial recognition software to open doors.

Japanese vascular biometrics tech in the banking news...

Hitachi: Malaysian bank keen to adopt biometric reader technology (Astro AWANI)

A Malaysian bank is keen to adopt Hitachi Asia Ltd's finger vein authentication technology solution.

Its senior vice-president/general manager ICT Solutions Business Regional, Mitsuhisa Kajiyoshi, said the new solution would enable the customers to easily access their online bank accounts and authorise payments within seconds, without the need for personal identification numbers, passwords or authentication codes.

Fujitsu Looks To Secure Card Payments With Biometric Data (Tech Week Europe)

Fujitsu says its new PalmSecure ID Match device will make identity verification and card payments more secure by combining a chip and PIN system with its palm-vein scanning technology for multi-factor authentication.

The unit is similar to current point of sale systems and comprises a multi-card reader, its PalmSecure sensor, a touchscreen and a processor board powered by an ARM chip.

It really does seem that Japanese tech firms dominate in hand-vein biometrics.

Japan, U.S. law enforcement to share fingerprint databases online (Japan Today)

Japan and the United States have agreed to provide mutual access to online fingerprint databases to aid criminal investigations.

According to the arrangement, each nation will have instant access to fingerprint data for the purpose of investigating individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism or other serious crimes such as murder, Japanese officials said.

US: to begin accepting [biometric] applications for temporary work visas from young illegal immigrants (workpermit.com)

JAPAN: Airports test new way of confirming passport data (Japan Times) Face & Finger.

BRAZIL: Our friends at Griaule Biometrics have added a new cloud service to their Griaule Biometric Framework 2.0. Press Release here.

Well that makes more sense...

...Japanese "cardless" ATM's also use two pieces of additional information.

Scan Hand for ATM Cash, No Card Required (Discovery)

First, Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank (Japanese site) customers will register their biometric information at a branch, according to Gizmag's Darren Quick. Then they'll be able to go to one of the new ATMs and get cash simply by scanning a hand and then typing in their birthdate and a four-digit PIN. [Emphasis added]

Here's a recent article on the subject: Japanese biometric ATM reads your palm, tells fortune.

This post goes into some more detail about the impracticality of single factor biometric cash machines: Polish bank claims Europe's first biometric cash point.

Japanese biometric ATM reads your palm, tells fortune

The pun was just too good (engadget). The article is funny, too.