Plastic ID Cards To Be Replaced With Biometric Systems And Microchip Implants

PROPHECY WATCH:  For many employees, the workday starts by swiping a plastic ID card to enter the office. But employers can’t always be sure who’s holding the card. That humble ID badge is starting to be replaced by biometric identification systems, microchip implants and tools that monitor workers’ gaits or typing habits—technologies that might not only make workplaces more secure and easier to navigate but also generate personalized health and productivity data.

It’s easy to see why some employers are already using technologies like face and iris scans, which are more difficult to spoof than standard plastic ID cards. Cameras scan and record the faces of employees and temporary contractors, allowing the workers to bypass turnstiles. Companies can easily reconfigure existing office cameras with facial-recognition technology.

When a person leaves a job, the employer can tag the person’s face so cameras block re-entrance. The technology is catching on at companies with large workforces. Construction firms, for example, regularly send new workers to building sites and need a method to easily track who’s there, says Shaun Moore, chief executive of Trueface, a facial-recognition provider. He declined to name companies using Trueface. -Full Article