Meet one of our integration partners; Suprema UK
We recently discussed the role of biometrics when used as part of an entrance control solution in an article that appeared in Security Journal UK magazine.
As part of that article, we spoke with Jamie McMillen, Managing Director at Suprema UK to gain their viewpoint as one of our integration partners. Here, we delve a little deeper with Jamie and discuss the advantages of biometric technology and the value of integrated partnerships with the entrance control sector.
Founded in 2000 in South Korea, today Suprema is a multinational, world-leading provider of biometric readers and access control platforms. It is also a major security integrator, and a long-term partner for IDL. Jamie has held the position of Managing Director for the UK and Ireland since 2016.
What matters to you in a security partner such as an entrance control manufacturer?
Ease of integration is key. Installers, entrance control providers and access control providers are all part of a wider security ecosystem. In any installation, the various parts need to mesh seamlessly into the whole, and work alongside one another to create a unified, comprehensive overall security system.
Each customer has unique needs. When proposing any solution, it’s a question of finding exactly the right model of the right range for that installation. Of course, there are some partners we come back to again and again. As well as the quality of their offerings, what we value is product design that prioritises interoperability.
We know we must deliver that from our end, too. The more flexible our offerings, the more adaptable they are to various environments, enabling us to create a bespoke system ideal for the specific case. The very open nature of Suprema’s biometric solutions has also allowed us to thrive in various unique vertical markets.
From Suprema’s perspective, what is valuable about the integration partnership with Fastlane?
Fastlane are an ideal partner for Suprema, due to their advanced security features and strong integration capabilities. We find that the overall solution can be completed very fast and seamlessly. The turnstiles have many customisation options, which aligns well with our own biometric solutions. This partnership can provide very comprehensive security solutions for a wide variety of environments.
The offerings also complement each other well in specific ways. Suprema products work well with door access requirements as well as gates and turnstiles. IDL’s Door Detective units combine especially smoothly with what we offer. This allows us to meet the needs of clientele from a wide range of markets requiring unique solutions.
What are the advantages of biometric security systems?
Biometrics provide a high level of security by verifying an individual’s unique physical traits such as fingerprints or facial features. This reduces the risk of identity fraud, and largely rules out credential sharing.
Positive user experience and fast throughput are also important considerations. Biometric systems offer convenient, often touchless access, allowing users to enter without the need for physical cards. Biometric systems can process individuals very quickly, making them suitable for high-traffic areas where many people need to enter efficiently.
Increasingly biometric systems are used as part of multi factor authentication solutions, where two or more credentials are required. This adds an additional layer of security that makes the system extremely robust. A biometric identifier can be combined with a traditional card, but another option is multi-modal biometrics, which might combine, for instance, face and fingerprint recognition.
How has biometric technology changed and improved over the years?
Biometric technology has evolved significantly, experiencing improvement and change in a number of ways. The systems have become more accurate and reliable due to advancements in sensor technology, algorithms, and data processing techniques. Fingerprint recognition largely dominated biometrics initially, but technology has expanded to include other modalities such as facial recognition.
Biometric authentication has become faster and more efficient, with systems providing rapid identification and verification in real-time. To counter spoofing attacks, biometric systems have incorporated liveness detection techniques that verify the authenticity of the presented biometric data. The systems have also become more robust in handling variations in environmental conditions, such as different lighting levels, angles, and even changes in an individual’s appearance over time.
While the pandemic accelerated the adoption of touchless and remotely managed authentication solutions, these systems have also improved the user experience. Approaches such as facial recognition for example, reducing physical contact and increasing convenience.
Biometric systems were originally a niche application, which sometimes made it challenging to find partners willing to take the time to work with us on integration requirements. The systems are now regarded as standard. As biometric technology has become more widespread, there has been an increased focus on privacy and data protection, with regulations and security measures implemented to address these concerns.
To learn more about Suprema, visit https://www.supremainc.com.
To speak to a member of our team about our turnstiles and entrance control solutions, please call +44 (0)208 890 5550 or send an e-mail to info@fastlane-turnstiles.com.
