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Laptop access goes beyond fingerprints to use veins in the palm

SINGAPORE — What’s more secure than a fingerprint sensor? Biometric technology that can recognise the complicated patterns of veins under the skin of your palm.

SINGAPORE — What’s more secure than a fingerprint sensor? Biometric technology that can recognise the complicated patterns of veins under the skin of your palm.

Fujitsu has incorporated this technology into its new Lifebook U745 notebooks, offering users the option to use a palm vein sensor to login to their notebooks.

Described by Fujitsu as “premium security”, the palm vein sensor has made unauthorised access to such laptops rather impossible; the chances are less than 0.00008 per cent, it said.

With my hand hovering above a 2cm-wide sensor for about two seconds, the system, which is said to be capturing more than five million reference points from my vein pattern, granted me access.

The scanner detects vein patterns by transmitting light at a wavelength that is near the infra-red range at about 760 nano-metres. As such, it’s even possible to log in while you are wearing a glove.

As authentication hinges on the body’s blood flow, it is not possible to replicate and forge another person’s vein patterns.

The initial set-up to configure my palm on a new laptop took about 20 scans. I was signalled to shift my hand closer to, or away from, the sensor. Two vein patterns can be registered for one Windows account.

What are the chances the palm sensor fails to recognise the veins on its owner’s palm?

That could happen about 0.01 per cent of the time, advised Fujitsu, making this technology 10 times more reliable than the use of a fingerprint biometric.

I tried to log in more than 10 times on separate occasions, and the scanner worked each time.

Nonetheless, since passwords are still used as an alternative for login, the use of the palm vein technology can only offer limited protection, if your password is not secure.

The technology might make more sense applied elsewhere, for example in ATMs or for entry into offices where access cards are still used.

The Fujitsu Lifebook U745 notebook with the palm vein technology, PalmSecure, costs S$2,999 at authorised Fujitsu retailers Newstead and Best Denki.

It has a 14-inch anti-glare display with backlit keyboard options, is less than 2cm thick and weighs 1.55kg.

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