Fujitsu and PulseWallet launch palm vein recognition POS system

Fujitsu Frontech North America, part of Japan-based Fujitsu Group, and US-based payment solutions provider PulseWallet have launched PulseWallet, a biometric point of sale (POS) system which recognises palm vein patterns to enable cardless payments.

PulseWallet uses Fujitsu’s vein imaging technology ‘PalmSecure’ to register the pattern of veins in the palm of a customer. Once registered, consumers can leave their credit or debit cards at home and simply scan their palm for payment at POS. Each palm scan is encrypted thus avoiding the security exposure encountered by some consumers at check out.

The PulseWallet POS terminals link the consumer’s palm to that consumer’s digital wallet, and the consumer’s PulseWallet account electronically tracks and stores receipts and coupons, which can only be accessed by the consumer.

PalmSecure sensors use a near-infrared light to capture a user’s palm vein pattern, generating a unique biometric template that is matched against the encrypted palm vein patterns of pre-registered users. The sensors do not come into contact with the skin, which makes it hygienic, non-intrusive and unrestricted by external factors such as skin types and conditions. According to the developers, registration at any PulseWallet terminal takes less than one minute and authentication takes less than one second.

The palm vein device can only recognize the pattern if the blood is actively flowing within the individual’s veins, so forgery is virtually impossible. This advanced, vascular pattern recognition technology not only provides highly reliable authentication with low false accept and reject rates, but also allows for fast and easy enrolment.