A biometric device designed to operate in rugged, blue-collar environments will go on display at the Futurex exhibition, which will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 18 to 21 May.
Cape-based IT company, Transmetrix, has developed the IdentiPod to operate in the harsh environments of Africa`s principal industries, such as agriculture, manufacturing and mining.
"The issue with traditional biometric scanners has always been in keeping the scanner clean, which is why a traditional scanner will not operate with dirty or greasy fingers," says Charlie Stewart, marketing director at Transmetrix.
"Our system uses a thermal scanner where the finger is drawn across a ceramic chip filled with heat sensors, rather than being placed on a screen.
"This means that not only can the scanner read through grime and grease - as well as reading worn or damaged prints - but the swiping motion actually keeps the chip clean too."
He says that because of the industries being targeted, the scanner has a full colour screen that displays the employee`s photograph when a scan is made, as this provides visual confirmation of an accepted scan for workers who may be illiterate.
"The IdentiPod is a locally developed terminal that runs on a standard Microsoft Windows operating platform, while the hardware is scaleable, giving it the flexibility of any PC-based solution," he says.
The unit is designed to operate in a freestanding capacity or plug into a LAN, where it integrates fully with existing IT infrastructures. It is also small enough to be mounted inside any vehicle, where it can be driven by the vehicle`s battery.
"This is the first embedded biometric device specifically designed for harsh African conditions and as such, we are looking at exporting to a number of African markets, although there is also the possibility of entering certain of the European markets.
"In its time and attendance mode, the terminal will be of huge commercial significance to the agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors, as it will eliminate time fraud - which can account for up to 15% of payroll costs - thus helping companies to reduce labour costs while maintaining a full and productive workforce."
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