France-based global biometrics company Safran in May launched its new range of Morpho biometrics products and aims to improve its services and support to customers to meet the demand for customisation, says local subsidiary Morpho South Africa COO Paul Jeremias.

The products are the new Morpho Access Sigma access-control and time attendance device, the three-dimensional (3D) hands-free facial- recognition device and the biometric-secured Morpho tablet that can be used in the field.

These devices will be matched by an increased focus on quality technological and partner support services from Morpho, after many partners and distributors raised their concerns over inadequate support for the Morpho devices from the parent company, notes Jeremias.

The new Morpho Access Sigma device can store up to 100 000 users’ details, has a colour touch screen to provide notifications for employees and can be used to manage leave and make video calls.

“Our new products can be integrated into clients’ existing networks – this ties in with our goal to ensure that each investment by clients is supported, sustainable and provides returns,” says Jeremias.

The 3D facial recognition device uses near- infrared (IR) light and an IR camera to scan 40 000 data points on faces and is suited for use in healthcare, pharmaceutical and other industries, where fingerprints may be obscured by the wearing of gloves or where cleanliness is paramount.

The device can tolerate a wide range of angles and people wearing glasses, helmets, headphones and hats. The device does not accept two-dimensional images or videos of people. The entire facial recognition process takes less than one second, enabling high throughput, says Morpho South Africa key accounts manager Nhlanhla Khoza.

Meanwhile, the Morpho tablet uses biometrics, including fingerprints and facial recognition, to secure user access. The documents captured on the device are automatically uploaded and can replace less secure paper-based systems, while the tablet’s level of security makes documents and signatures captured on the device admissible in court.

“The core operating system of the Morpho tablet is the Android Jelly Bean open-source operating system. However, Morpho has added significant layers of security, including the encryption of documents and data traffic, automatic deletion and overwriting of data if the device is tampered with and the ability to centrally manage the devices,” says Morpho sales manager Nicolas Garcia.

The Android operating system enables companies to securely use applications available on the Google Play store. Companies and vendors can also develop their own applications for the tablet using the software development kit. Morpho will provide support for partner and client software developers as well as a software development service to users.

The tablet can also be used to provide government services by verifying citizen identities, to capture documentation and enrol new beneficiaries in the field and to check whether people have received medication or government support.

A key application of the tablet is its relevance in the healthcare and emergency medical services, as the face or fingerprint of an injured or unconscious person can be used to access his or her full medical history during emergency situations, enabling the provision of faster and more informed healthcare, concludes Garcia.