Lumidigm, an Albequerque, N.M.-based provider of biometric ID technology, announced today that it is providing fingerprint sensors for ATMs operated by Brazil's second largest state-owned bank, Caixa. Diebold Inc. is supplying the ATMs; Brazil-based Griaule is providing supporting software.
In part, the technology is being deployed to support Brazil's Bolsa Família program, which provides payments to low income families to help keep their children in school. A large portion of the program's registered users do not have bank accounts and use an ATM only once a month to get their stipend.
La Caixa found that because they visited the ATM so seldom, Bolsa Família enrolees often forgot their passwords, which required bank managers to spend time reissuing PIN numbers. Given the size of the program (58 million registered users), this was becoming a significant problem.
"Our fingerprint sensors are reliable and intuitive — perfect for unattended applications such as ATM access," said Lumidigm VP of Transaction Systems, Bill Spence. "Caixa customers simply insert their card and touch the fingerprint reader to conveniently withdraw their funds from the ATM and be on their way. No PIN to remember, no training required. It's that simple."
Lumidigm fingerprint sensors employ data-rich, multi-spectral imaging technology which reads fingerprints both on and below the skin. Latin America is rapidly embracing fingerprint technology as the preferred mode for user access to ATMs. Banks in India and South Africa also use the company's fingerprint sensors.
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