Photos Reading the Lines
Another advantage of palm vein scanners over fingerprints is that more people can use them. By most estimates, about 2 percent of people don't have readable fingerprints. Anything from a missing finger to dry skin can throw off a fingerprint. Some of the driest hands are found on doctors and nurses, who have to scrub and wash their hands many times a day, drying the skin and rubbing down fingerprints. Fujitsu expects hospitals will be another big market for palm vein scanners. Palm vein scans have been used in Japanese ATM's for more than five years but have only recently made their way across the Pacific Ocean. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)-takers in South Korea and India will use the scanners starting next month. Some U.S. testers will use the scanners starting this fall, and by May, all of business school applicants will use the technology. While a firm price for the palm vein scanners hasn't been set by Fujitsu, it is estimated that it will be below $1,000. That means it will be more expensive than fingerprinting, but should be much less expensive than iris scanners, the gold standard of biometric scans which can cost around $10,000 each. More than 230,000 GMAT tests are administered each year at a cost of $250 for each test. The GMAC, which administers the GMAT, says that the cost of the test will not increase because of the palm scanners. The scanners should help deter cheaters, said Donald McCabe, a researcher at Rutgers University who has studied cheating across academic disciplines and found that business school students self-report the most cheating. "Making people take palm scans is unfortunate for people who do their work honestly; it says we don't trust you," said McCabe. "But in the end it will be a good thing, because it will help ensure that people who deserve a spot in business school get it." Related Links: |
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