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Hitachi Ltd. says it has introduced a vending machine that enables consumers to pay through verification of the vein patterns in their fingers. Consumers place a finger onto a scanner located on the machine. Consumers must register their payment card details to use the service. It was unclear when the machine would see a general rollout, and calls to Japan-based Hitachi this week went unanswered. Vein-pattern payment systems primarily are found in Japan, including at ATMs, where the technology enables the country's hygiene-obsessed consumers to avoid touching screens. Earlier this year, Hitachi said it would work with Sagem Sécurité, part of the France-based Safran Group, to develop vein-recognition payment systems for ATMs and point-of-sale terminals (CardLine Global, 25 March).
