Amazon’s palm-scanning tech expands beyond payments

Amazon is taking its palm-scanning technology out of the grocery aisle and into the workplace.

The tech giant is rolling out Amazon One Enterprise, a version of its palm-reading biometric system designed for corporate offices rather than supermarkets.

With One Enterprise, employees can wave their palm over a scanner to gain access to buildings, computers, and sensitive data.

Several major corporations have already signed on to pilot the technology, including hotel group IHG, turnstile maker Boon Edam, and elevator company Kone. Amazon says palm scanning is cheaper, more convenient, and more secure than conventional ID badges, keycards, or passwords.

Palm scanners capture images of the vein patterns inside a person’s hand. Just like fingerprints, palm vein patterns are unique to each individual.

The scanner uses near-infrared light to detect deoxygenated blood flowing through the veins. It also detects the lines, which again are unique to each individual

The device then creates a detailed map of the palm’s lines, ridges, and veins that serves as a person’s biometric identifier.

When an employee first enrolls, their palm print is captured and converted into a digital template.

That template is then stored in a database and associated with that employee’s credentials. Each subsequent time the employee scans their palm, the scanner matches their print to their template, confirming their identity.

Amazon claims palm data stays on the user’s premises and is not shared with third parties without consent. The company says it offers enterprises the option to manage their biometric data using Amazon Web Services or their own servers.

The US isn’t the only place where palm scanning is catching on. China’s Tencent has been piloting palm-based payments linked to its WeChat app. In Europe, major banks are exploring palm scanning for ATM access and Japanese tech firm Fujitsu offers vein authentication for facilities access, finance, healthcare, and more.

Amazon argues palm scanning is more private than some biometrics like facial recognition since the images themselves don’t reveal a person’s identity. Additionally, unlike fingerprints, palm prints are harder for bad actors to lift and replicate.

Still, any centralised database of physical identifiers makes privacy advocates nervous, especially one operated by Amazon.