What is so wrong with school fingerprint biometrics that warrants over $100,000 being spent on biometric palm scanning equipment to replace an existing fingerprint payment system? Source Palm Harbor News, Florida
Did the fingerprint system break down, is it not secure enough or perhaps the new vogue in biometrics for kids is the infrared palm scanner?
Or maybe fingerprint biometrics are just not fast enough to propel students at the desired speed through cafeterias as "this high-tech scanning system will make the lunch line move faster" ...faster even than fingerprint biometrics? Undoubtedly, biometric vendors will be selling differing biometric systems to school by 'miles per hour' lunch line speeds!
"The new palm-scanning program, piloted at Boca Ciega High School, cost the district $105,000. It replaces a finger scan system used in county middle and high schools since 2005.
"Pinellas County Schools are the first in the nation to use a palm scanning system"
A proud claim indeed. Of course, we have Scottish children to thank for Boca Ciega High School's first infrared claim, although competition is hot on their heels by kids in Reading Schools District, Ohio.
The Amey/ Fujitsu palm scanning technology was first introduced to Scottish primary schools back in 2007. Presumably the Scottish trials went well enough to market infrared palm scanning to the US. After all the US had around 49 million school children as opposed to an approximate meagre 9 million in the UK. A more lucrative US market, especially when imminent legislation here in the UK may require full parental consent to be gained by schools for biometrics to be used with students.
The speed of which school lunch queues move seems to be an ever evolving, publicly expensive, obsession held by schools and biometric companies on both sides of the pond.
Here's an idea, maybe the thousands of pounds and dollars spent on such systems could be invested in childrens education instead?
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