Security Sales & Integration February 2023 - 48

Access
Connecting With
Contactless
more common to see automatic doors triggered
by WTO sensors or EAC devices like
credential readers.
Although keypads still exist for entering
codes, they obviously require tapping buttons
that others also touch. Th at's why the trend
now is for credentials to be programmed to mobile
devices that use near-fi eld communication
(NFC) or Bluetooth technology and that only
the owner handles.
Mobile credentials are gaining more ground
WTO alternatives are supplanting
many low-energy
openers that had been activated
by pressing a large button.
these days. One reason for their growing popularity
centers around student expectations at
universities and colleges, where adoption of
the technology has been heating up, particularly
with the onset of wallet-based credentials.
Mobile credentials are also proving to be more
secure compared to cards since it's rare for a
mobile phone to be lost, stolen, or left behind,
and the fact that the phones themselves require
a credential such as facial recognition, a fi ngerprint
or numeric input.
It will be interesting to see how fast mobile
credentials become the predominant format
given the number of magstripe and other
cards that are still in use. Understandably,
budgets, urgency and planning will continue
to impact timing.
Newer solutions from lowtouch
mechanical hardware
like push paddle-type trim and
door foot pulls are gaining
popularity in the marketplace.
All Mobile Credentials Not Equal
Keep in mind that mobile can mean diff erent
things to diff erent people. Essentially there are
three types being used: NFC wallet-based credentials,
app-based Bluetooth credentials and
mobile app noncredential-based authorization,
which relies on cellular transmission to a Cloud
system that then communicates to a panel that
controls the door opening.
All
three have diff erent user experiences,
diff erent vertical applications and certain limitations
depending on their proprietary nature.
So, it's extremely important for integrators to
understand and be able to explain the benefi ts
as well as the drawbacks of each. It's also imperative
to learn whether a customer needs a
platform that can talk to various hardware and
devices across manufacturers or if a more proprietary
solution is suffi cient. Whichever way
mobile credentials shake out, they will continue
to be a viable security solution for many years
to come and serve as a bridge between card and
emerging biometric credentials.
What's Next in Contactless
Biometrics have been in use at high-security
locations for a while, including datacenters,
fi nancial institutions and government
facilities where dual-factor authentication is
required. Improving and scaling the technology
to implement it across a wider range of
markets is under way and has become desirable
for those positioned to invest in it for
their facilities. For example, industries with
large workforces are very motivated to deploy
high-speed facial recognition at optical turnstiles
to better facilitate shift changes in high
throughput openings.
Latin America has seen more adoption and
growth in biometrics-based access control,
such as the type of dedicated facial recognition
(at the door) readers off ered by companies like
Control iD. Th ere are a few good reasons why.
Only some businesses in that region have the
mobile device or backend infrastructure to
support mobile credentials. Also, card credentials
in those countries are more vulnerable to
theft or copying. Facial recognition on dedicated
door readers just makes more practical
sense for ensuring a higher level of security
and safety. Plus, these systems tend to be more
cost-eff ective overall.
Because interest in biometric credentials
is growing, we're witnessing a refresh of the
technology. Earlier generation fi ngerprint and
iris scan devices are being upgraded to technologies
like four-fi nger wave and appliance
or server-based advanced facial recognition.
Th ese and other detection technologies like
48
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