Who can forget actor Tom Cruise’s memorable scene in the 2002 movie “Minority Report ” when he replaced his own eyeball with that of another human whose retina scan provided access to an unauthorized area. it was as memorable as grotesque a scene in any film.
However, believe it or not, retina scanning, as reliable as it appears, verification system the strongest form of human identification today. Fingerprinting doesn’t top the list either. Degenerative eye disease, skin abrasions, injury have knocked them both off the “Mission Impossible” scenario, in favor of palm vein readers. No, not the kind of palm readers you encounter at a fair or attraction boardwalk. These palm readers measure the unique blood flow and vein patterns in your hand.
Facing increasing business issues in insurance fraud, security breaches, hospitals and other medical facilities have been one of the early adopters, upgrading their digital patient identification systems to eliminate identity issues in the provision of healthcare services. Because vein patterns exist inside of the body and are unique in every human being, palm vein readers create a digital image of a person’s palm based on the individual’s unique vein and blood flow patterns. Once a patient’s palm has “been read”, a simple placement over a small desktop scanner provides accurate identification and retrieval of personalized medical records.
Thus, palm vein reading is a much more reliable, accurate security screening and human identification technique. After the patient’s palm has been “read”, a digital “palm print” image is created based on the unique blood flow pattern. That image is stored in the hospital’s patient database, making the process of future registrations and the transfer of medical records easier to complete.
Hospitals aren’t the only venues utilizing this new technology. National security clearance buildings, high security government buildings, private sector research and development facilities are also opting for the more reliable system. This type of security enhancement can also play a crucial role in the world of global espionage and crimefighting techniques. While plastic surgery can alter the physical cosmetic look of a person, the body’s blood flow patterns remain in place.
Perhaps insurance companies, universities and transportation facilities may also adapt this type of technology in the future to ward off fraud and discourage dishonest academic initiatives on college campuses. While it may not be as sexy on the big screen, palm vein readings have demonstrated to be the most reliable human identification method.
