ITems

Biometric ATMs Are Spreading

DAYTON, Ohio-NCR Corp. said it has introduced biometric fingerprint technology to ATMs in several South American countries and is preparing to introduce the technology on a wider basis in North America. With the emerging biometric technology, the ubiquitous ATM card will eventually be replaced by the mere touch of a finger or other biometric identification methods, according to Mark Grossi, chief technology officer for NCR, who introduced the new ATMs Tuesday at the Royal Bank of Canada's Applied Innovation Symposium in Toronto. The fingerprint identification system, which was developed at NCR's Advanced Concepts Lab in Dundee, Scotland, was demonstrated to credit union and bank executives during the two-day technology showcase. The fingerprint ATM will simplify things for banks and credit unions while reducing costs because it will eliminate the ATM/debit cards, said Gross. And it will improve security because fingerprints are impossible to copy. With NCR's fingerprint ATM, the user enters their Social Security number at the ATM, then applies their finger to the fingerprint reader. There is no PIN number and no ATM card.

Pay By Touch Acquires ATM Direct

SAN FRANCISCO-Pay By Touch Solutions, the pioneer in fingerprint biometrics that has been introduced at the checkout line at hundreds of supermarkets, reported it has acquired ATM Direct, the provider of an all-software solution that allows PIN debit payments online.

ATM Direct has a patent pending software that allows for secure entry of an ATM or check card PIN number for purchases made over the Internet, allowing real-time payments just like cash. Pay By Touch has rolled out its fingerprint payment terminal at Piggly Wiggly supermarkets, Albertsons and SuperValu stores.

Bisys, Intervoice Go Hands-Free

NEW YORK-Bisys has signed with Intervoice Inc. to offer the company's hands-free telephone banking service to Bisys clients. Intervoice's Omvia Speech Banking solution allows consumers to conduct their transactions hands-free on their way to work, from their office or at home without having to work through multiple telephone menus, using speech recognition, the company reported.

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