Fujitsu Builds Japan's First Palm Vein Authentication System for ATMs

Tokyo, September 26, 2012

Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Frontech Limited today announced that they have constructed a new card-less biometric ATM system⁽¹⁾ for Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank Ltd.

Leveraging Fujitsu's advanced palm vein authentication technology that boasts exceptionally accurate authentication, Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank will launch a new line of ATMs that, for the first time in Japan, will allow customers to access financial services without requiring a traditional passbook⁽²⁾ or ATM card. The new ATMs will commence operation starting today.

The new system enables service continuity even in the event of a disaster, thereby providing enhanced convenience for customers who use ATMs.

Fujitsu plans to utilize the know-how it has gained from constructing this new system to provide services employing palm vein authentication that delivers both convenience and security.

Background

Based on its core principle of being "a bank that is loved, valued, and trusted by the community," Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank is introducing a host of new services that have never been offered before by a financial institution in Japan. Japan's banking industry took notice when the Great East Japan Earthquake presented a dilemma to those who had lost passbooks or ATM cards during the disaster and were unable to immediately access necessary funds. This convinced the bank that it was necessary to enable customers to access financial services even when a physical link between the customer and the account, such as a passbook or ATM card, is not present.

Leveraging its palm vein authentication technology that boasts highly accurate authentication, Fujitsu, in cooperation with Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank, has constructed a biometric ATM that does not require a passbook or ATM card.

Features of the New System

1. Passbook-free and card-less ATM services

The system employs palm vein authentication technology to perform personal identification, enabling ATM users to access financial services even when they do not have their passbook or ATM card.

Each individual's unique palm vein pattern data is registered in advance, allowing users to perform withdrawals, deposits, and balance inquiries through a three-step process: First, users enter their date of birth, which is followed by palm-vein authentication, and finally they input their PIN.

2. Extremely accurate palm vein authentication technology

Fujitsu's advanced palm vein authentication technology not only offers highly accurate authentication, it also boasts several characteristics that make it a very stable authentication method. Since palm veins are a physical feature of the body, they are difficult to forge. The authentication process is very simple, involving simply passing one's hand over a sensor. In addition, it is not easily affected by external factors.

• Compared to veins in the fingers or the back of the hand, the pattern of palm veins is complex, which allows for a very high level of authentication accuracy. The false rejection rate is 0.01%, while the false acceptance rate is 0.00008%, making for a system that is both trustworthy and secure.
• While fingerprint authentication can be hindered by surface abrasions on the skin or dry skin, palm vein scanning is almost completely unaffected by external or physically superficial factors. This leads to more seamless registration and verification of the user's data.
• The system is completely contact-free, thereby minimizing hygiene concerns while ensuring natural, comfortable operation.

3. Maintaining uninterrupted financial services during times of disaster

In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, institutions were presented with the serious challenge of providing financial services to the numerous people who had evacuated but had left behind personal identification materials, such as passbooks, ATM cards, and driver licenses. With the deployment of these new ATMs, however, customers who have lost passbooks and ATM cards will be able to utilize ATM services even after disasters.