Carnegie Mellon University Students Create Biometric Payment Method
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Posted On :
Apr-17-2013
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Article Word Count :
507
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Tech news in Pittsburgh is again at the forefront of the industry. Four graduates and upperclassmen at Carnegie Mellon University have created a system they call PayTango that they think will render the use of credit cards obsolete.
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Tech news in Pittsburgh is again at the forefront of the industry. Four graduates and upperclassmen at Carnegie Mellon University have created a system they call PayTango that they think will render the use of credit cards obsolete. Instead of carrying around a plastic card, registered users will be able to simply swipe their finger across a scanning machine to access their credit accounts and make purchases.
The Advantage of Biometric Technology
With biometric attendance scanners and other devices, industry trends are already leaning toward biometrics. The body is incredibly complex, enabling retinal and fingerprint scanners to be incredibly secure means of identification. While physical credit cards can be stolen and credit card numbers can be copied down, it’s much more difficult to replicate a fingerprint, especially in full detail. Using this technology also eliminates the need for carrying around cards that can be easily misplaced and lost or actually stolen.
Credit card technology is at least 40 years old, and after the system was implemented, there hasn’t been much change or improvement. The project founders began wondering, why do people need to carry anything around at all? In addition to increasing the security of using credit, biometrics also increase the convenience. Instead of digging in a purse to find a wallet or trying to find a certain card or driver’s license, all the information needed is already contained within the fingerprint.
Designing a Biometric Scanning Machine
The prototype for the scanning devices was made from combining an iPad, a fingerprint reader, and a magnetic card reader. During the registration process, the scanner identifies unique areas and points on a user’s fingerprints on the first and third fingers. The information is stored and accessed again the next time the user scans their fingerprints. The machine can read fingerprints accurately, even despite slight wetness or oil on the surface of the skin. The ATM screen itself acts like a normal ATM screen as they now exist.
PayTango is now an official startup company, and three scanners have already been installed on various dining outlets on the CMU campus. Since their installation in late March, several hundred CMU students have already registered for the service, linking their student IDs (containing meal plan spending money) to their fingerprint scans. Further installations have been set up with various facilities in the Silicon Valley, including at gyms, convenience stores, and restaurants.
Addressing Security Concerns for Users
Security is a top priority for the company. Images of fingerprints are not stored. Instead, the scanners contain a fingerprint template that stores only certain key features of a fingerprint. It is impossible to reverse-engineer this information to create the full fingerprint. PayTango is also working to maintain the sanitation of the system, particularly by training operators to clean it frequently.
In the coming months, PayTango plans to further expand its services to other establishments and universities in both Pittsburgh and Silicon Valley. Educational technology blog around the country will be following this company’s progress closely.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Carnegie Mellon University Students Create Biometric Payment Method_261188.aspx
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Author Resource :
The author has an immense knowledge on Tech news in Pittsburgh. Know more about Educational technology blog related info in his website.
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Keywords :
Tech news in Pittsburgh, Educational technology blog,
Category :
Business
:
Business
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