Small businesses can use biometric technology for employee ID verification

PersonID, a fingerprint identification system designed for small-to-medium sized businesses, was recently released by security solutions company 360 Biometrics. The software can match fingerprints of employees, and managers can view identifying information such as name, gender and photo ID.  Small businesses can utilize the technology in time-and-attendance, point-of-sale and physical point-access-control systems. Plus, it can be adapted across a variety of industries including public safety and healthcare. "We chose PersonID because it is so easy to use and we could adapt it to meet our precise needs," said Ellen Stein, academic coordinator at the University of California, San Francisco. Stein conducts behavioral studies in high-risk populations, according to the UCSF Global Health and Sciences homepage. She uses the biometric identifying tools as part of her data collection process.  SecurityInfoWatch.com points out an even more advanced form of identity verification - palm-vein pattern scanners - can be useful for healthcare workers. The technology uses an infrared scan to examine in the veins on an individual's palm. A hospital in North Carolina that tested the technology in 2007 found it reduced privacy concerns by storing a unique ID number instead of a photo for each patient. This would thwart the potential for leaking private information during the registration process.