Iris ID Biometric System Selected by Merrion Vaults

Ireland-based facilities use iris recognition for identity authentication and security

Merrion Vaults, an Ireland-based provider of safe deposit boxes, has selected biometric identity verification technology from Iris ID. Merrion Vaults rents safe deposit boxes like those found at banks, but with a significant difference, customers’ identities are authenticated through highly accurate iris readers to enhance security.

Merrion Vaults operates private safe deposit boxes in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland; Nottingham, Liverpool and Newcastle, England; and Dublin, Ireland. Seamus Fahy, director, Merrion Vaults, said the iris readers are replacing fingerprint recognition systems for authenticating customer identity.

Fahy said the choice of contactless iris readers was well timed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The initial customer reaction to the Iris ID readers has been excellent; the customers love it,” he said. “It is a simple, easy process for them to swipe an access card and then look into the reader with nothing to touch. The entire process takes a few seconds to complete. Using the fingerprint reader, customers would forget which finger they registered with or would press too hard or too lightly on the reader. If they couldn’t get access, we’d have to check their names and passwords and then re-register them. It was a hassle.”

Fahy said the Iris ID readers are part of a tight security plan that includes video surveillance, access control, turnstiles, intrusion alarms and panic buttons, as well as seismic and water sensors. Employees monitor cameras at each facility and in a systemwide control room in Dublin.

Mohammed Murad, vice president, Iris ID, said the iris recognition system allows rapid and highly accurate authentication of Merrion Vaults customers due to each person’s unique iris patterns.

“The accuracy, speed and convenience of the Iris ID system are critical for a business that identifies its customers using biometrics,” Murad said. “Our system also provides another critical layer of security, ensuring only Merrion customers gain access to the vault. No two people, including identical twins, have the same iris patterns.”

The Iris iCAM7S system readers provide a mirror interface with color-alignment indicators guiding customers through the authentication process, while capturing iris images at distances of up to 15 inches.

Fahy said many banks in the U.K. are discontinuing safe deposit box service, creating an opportunity for private vendors to fill the gap. He said Merrion Vaults plans to open new facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Reading and Bristol, England and Barcelona, Spain in 2021. Longer-term plans include locations in cities across the United States.

Featured

  • Live From ISC West: Day 2 Recap

    If it’s even possible, Day 2 of ISC West in Las Vegas, Nevada, was even busier than the first. Remember to keep tabs on our Live From ISC West page for news and updates from the show floor at the Venetian, because there’s more news coming out than anyone could be expected to keep track of. Our Live From sponsors—NAPCO Security, Alibi Security, Vistacom, RGB Spectrum, and DoorKing—kept the momentum from Day 1 going with packed booths, happy hours, giveaways, product demonstrations, and more. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Visiting Sin City

    I’m a recovering alcoholic, ten years sober this June. I almost wrote “recovered alcoholic,” because it’s a problem I’ve long since put to bed in every practical sense. But anyone who’s dealt with addiction knows that that part of your brain never goes away. You just learn to tell the difference between that insidious voice in your head and your actual internal monologue, and you get better at telling the other guy to shut up. Read Now

  • On My Way Out the Door

    To answer that one question I always get, at every booth visit, I have seen amazing product technology, solutions and above all else, the people that make it all work. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Return to Form

    My first security trade show was in 2021. At the time, I was awed by the sheer magnitude of the event and the spectacle of products on display. But this was the first major trade show coming out of the pandemic, and the only commentary I heard was how low the attendance was. Two representatives from one booth even spent the last morning playing catch in the aisle with their giveaway stress balls. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • BIO-key MobileAuth

    BIO-key MobileAuth

    BIO-key International has introduced its new mobile app, BIO-key MobileAuth™ with PalmPositive™ the latest among over sixteen strong authentication factors available for BIO-key's PortalGuard® Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platform. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • HID Signo Readers

    HID Signo Readers

    HID Global has announced its HID® Signo™ Biometric Reader 25B that is designed to capture and read fingerprints in real-world applications and conditions. 3