Harmonic adds electronic fingerprinting

THE BARCODING and mobile solutions specialist, the Harmonic Group, has added electronic fingerprinting to its range of products. The group – which represents some of the world’s leading brands of mobile computers, like Datalogic, Gotive, Socket, Argox, Orient, Datac and Welch Allen - also developed the eWarehouse and eAssets products for the local market. Following a research programme, the company has decided to play a more active role in the provision of biometrics solutions, according to group MD, Barry Baetu. “Recognising the demand for identification management in SA across a wide scope of industries ranging from security to medical issues, proof-of-delivery, people tracking and traditional access control,” he told FTW, “we have introduced biometrics solutions to our product stack.” With most of the market demand currently stemming from fingerprint biometrics, the company will initially restrict its product offerings to this technology. “However,” said Baetu, “as newer technologies – such as voice and retina recognition - become more feasible, we will address these on their merits.” Moving into the world of biometrics is not a major learning curve for Harmonic, he added. “Our mobile systems already include fingerprint recognition in products from Gotive and DAP Technologies.” Baetu said that in today’s climate - with crime showing little signs of abating - fingerprint recognition was becoming increasingly essential across many frontiers. “For example,” he added, “more and more companies are insisting that they are dealing with the right personnel when it comes to such issues as proof-of-delivery (POD); that the right people are awarded subsidised home loans; or that the right person receives the proper health care and so on. “Having a mobile fingerprint recognition solution, with the right software application built in, makes verification a lot easier, faster and more accurate than relying on identity documents that are so prone to abuse.”