European University Uses Fingerprint Readers For Access Control

  • Jan 26, 2011

Lumidigm recently announced that Free Amsterdam University (VU), one of Europe’s most prestigious colleges, is using the company’s Venus Series multispectral imaging sensors in fingerprint readers used by approximately 8,000 students, faculty and staff to enter the school’s multiple recreation facilities spread throughout Amsterdam.  The switch to fingerprint scanning was done in tandem with the school’s migration to a TopTix SRO software platform.  Biometric integrator EasySecure International of Rotterdam proposed the Lumidigm solution as a good fit.

“Eliminating the opportunity for students to pass their cards to others was only part of the reason we upgraded to biometrics,” said Wouter Kropman, director of facilities at VU.  “The system gives us a very professional look plus, in the long run, it saves us money.  Within three to five years, the biometric solution becomes a break-even with plastic cards because of their associated costs, including cartridges, printers, support and management.  Fingerprints provide a sustainable solution.”

According to Kropman, governmental and semi-governmental organizations are obliged to follow strict procedures when purchasing new systems.  For that reason, VU interviewed four companies and determined that EasySecure’s solution using Lumidigm’s multispectral imaging fingerprint sensor provided what they needed.

“This solution was more expensive but the high quality of the system, both in hardware and software, was decisive,” Kropman said.

That’s because the Lumidigm solution, based on using multiple wavelengths of light and advanced polarization techniques can extract unique fingerprint characteristics from both the surface and subsurface of the skin.  This provides results that are more consistent, more inclusive and more tamper resistant than other biometrics.  Dirty, calloused, wet or dry, the fingerprint is still readable with multispectral imaging.

VU uses four desk systems with scanners to enroll authorized users and has seven doors/gates with scanners for people to use to enter its sports complexes.  On a typical day, the system averages more than1,800 scans across all the entry points.

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