Smart passports tested in Hong Kong

Asia-Pacific immigration officials are in Hong Kong this week for a test of smart passport technology that the US government wants other countries to adopt, reports Pacific Business News.

Hawaii tourism executives believe the growth of international visitor traffic in Hawaii has been impeded by bureaucratic obstacles to US travel in the wake of 11 September. Adoption of smart passports may help.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation association organised a three-day "capacity-building exercise" in Hong Kong.

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, has implemented a Sex Offender Registry and Identification System, writes Government Technology.

The system uses technology to register and positively identify convicted sexual predators using iris recognition biometric technology, the quickest and most accurate identification technology available.

Iris recognition biometric technology positively determines the identity of an individual by capturing a high-resolution digitally encrypted photograph of an individual`s iris.

Iridian Technologies, the closely-held Moorestown company that pioneered eye-scanning technology for security applications, has agreed to be sold for $35 million in cash to Viisage Technology.

Iridian`s devices scan for unique patterns in the iris.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Iridian will move its operations from Moorestown to Jersey City, which is headquarters for Identix, another biometrics firm whose merger with Viisage is pending.