The reader checks a multitude of different measurements, including length, width, thickness, and surface areas. The unique characteristics are stored in a template a mathematical representation of the hand for later retrieval and comparison. The reader updates the template every time a person s hand is scanned, taking into account growing children or weight changes. While the template can be stored internally in the reader itself, they can also be transferred to a computer. To gain access, the user places a hand on the reader and a template is called up to verify their identity, with the entire process taking about one second.
Hand geometry is the granddaddy of biometrics.
The low cost, the ease of use and the convenience offered by the technology has made it a viable alternative for commercial access applications. Over 8,00 systems are in use today including hospitals, day care centers, immigration facilities and the U. S. Justice department, which uses the identification equipment in their federal prisons. The University of Georgia has used one of the largest running tests of hand geometry. Since 1972, the school instituted a program to ensure that students enrolled in its unlimited meal plan do not pass along their student ID or their meal card to a friend. The school decided early on that a student ID was not enough.