Fingerprint Security and Privacy

Concerned about privacy with biometric technology? 

With Workwell Technologies, you can relax. All time clock users can rest assured that their privacy is intact. Workwell’s devices do not capture and store a full fingerprint or facial image so it is virtually impossible to replicate. The technology utilizes a digital process that measures the distance and angles of the lines in your fingertips or the distance between your facial features.

Fingerprint and Facial Recognition for the Workplace

Unlike the technology used by Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) for law enforcement purposes, Workwell’s devices collect only a small subset of sample data (aka minutiae points), convert it into binary data using mathematical algorithms and then store only a digital representation of the fingerprint or face (not an actual image).

Having only minutia data makes it nearly impossible to recreate the original image.

Significant differences between AFIS devices and Workwell devices include:

Image vs. Minutia Analysis
Workwell devices rely upon only minutia data and not the actual image of the scanned fingerprint or face. Conversely, AFIS-type devices use facial images and the entire rolled fingerprint image containing the
ridge patterns of the fingerprint. 

Image size 

Workwell devices use small optical sensors. AFIS devices require a full measure of the fingerprint, which is typically a rolled fingerprint image. The same is true for facial images. 

No fingerprint or facial image is saved 

Fingerprint and facial images are converted to mathematical representations BEFORE storing. 

Incompatible with AFIS technology 

Because of the different resolution, fingerprint/facial size, and image enhancement processes of the two technologies, the fingerprint and facial data collected by a Workwell device is virtually unusable by AFIS.

Bottom Line: There are no privacy issues related to biometric identification and verification.