Before You Invest in Contactless Biometrics, Read This

Reducing Risk In High-Touch Environments

The global pandemic has dramatically increased the world’s interest in contactless technologies. According to research from Capgemini, 77% of global consumers expect to increase their use of touchless technologies during the pandemic; 62% say they’ll rely more on touchless even after the pandemic is over.

Does that mean it’s time for organizations to transition to contactless biometrics for authentication at key facilities?

The most recent evidence suggests that the answer is “not necessarily.”

Though contactless authentication technologies may seem more hygienic, closer examination suggests several challenges with their adoption — not to mention their ability to prevent the spread of illness. These challenges include:

• The expense required to achieve high accuracy
• The difficulty of controlling the environment for factors like ambient light and background noise
• User requirements that, in some cases, are ill-suited to preventing the spread of airborne illnesses, like mask removal

And even in situations where authentication doesn’t involve touch, the next steps almost always do: opening a door, handling a phone or manipulating a keyboard or mouse.

What’s the best way to keep your facilities both sanitary and secure? Check out our Executive Brief: Why Contactless Isn’t the Answer to Biometrics Safety