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HANNOVER, Germany -- An ATM that recognizes a customer's identity by the iris of their eye -- without the need of a card or PIN -- is being demonstrated by Diebold at the CeBIT world business fair in Hannover, Germany.

The iris recognition biometric system uses a camera to read specific features of a customer's iris and compares it to a previously recorded image stored in a database. A match between the user's "live" iris and a biometric iris template contained within a database initiates the ATM transaction.

The biometrics application featured on Diebold's 1064ix ATM also can accept conventional card-based transactions.

"Our biometric ATM lets consumers choose how they want to access their accounts -- with leading-edge biometric technology or through standard card and PIN-based transaction systems," said Alben W. Warf, senior vice president, development and manufacturing at Diebold.

Diebold has tested many different biometric technologies including fingerprint verification, voice verification, hand geometry and facial recognition. In 1996, Diebold introduced the world's first live installation of biometrics on an ATM in South Africa utilizing fingerprint verification. In 1997, Diebold displayed the world's first ATM featuring facial and voice recognition to identify customers.

Iris recognition is a popular biometric application because the iris is one of the body's most unique physical structures. It has 266 measurable characteristics that do not change with age and it cannot be copied or replicated.

The biometric ATM combines proprietary Diebold software with iris imaging equipment from Sensar, Inc.

Sensar is the first commercial spin-off of the Sarnoff Corporation in Princeton, N.J. IriScan of Marlton, N.J. holds the worldwide patents on the iris recognition concept originated by Drs. Leonard Flom and Aran Safir and the software and process technology invented by Dr. John Daugman. Sensar uses, under license, the process developed and owned exclusively by IriScan.

Also at the CeBIT world business fair, Diebold is showcasing an innovative system that allows ATM deployers to cross-sell services through personalized, on-screen marketing messages on an ATM.

"We believe this system can help our customers leverage valuable consumer contact time into potential business opportunities," said Thomas W. Swidarski, senior director, worldwide marketing for Diebold. "Our one-to-one marketing concept allows ATM deployers to use their existing customer database for information that can help them target a specific message to the consumer at the ATM."

Diebold's concept uses the waiting time of a standard ATM authorization period to display interactive messages to consumers about products and services. Because it works in conjunction with an ATM deployer's customer information database, the system allows institutions to custom-design advertising messages depending upon demographics, existing account relationships or retail buying habits.

For example, a bank customer using an ATM during the holiday season might be shown a promotion for debt consolidation loans on one transaction, while the frequent ATM user next in line, who is not a bank customer, might read about a new checking account that waives ATM transaction fees.

The customer may be prompted to respond to on-screen questions -- which might even ask for their phone number -- and the answers are forwarded to marketing departments for proper follow-up.

Because it runs during the waiting phase of the ATM transaction, one-to-one marketing does not delay transaction times or create long waiting lines. Customers who want to turn down the service can do so by answering "no" to on-screen prompts.

For ATM deployers, the system provides a tracking capability that allows them to monitor the success of their marketing program. It can also be configured to dispense a coupon from the ATM receipt printer as a way to reinforce a message.

"It not only helps ATM deployers build customer loyalty, but it provides them with a revenue generating advertising medium that could also be sold to local retailers," Swidarski said.