A Major Step Ahead in Biometrics: Berlin Airports Adopt Face Recognition System From ZN.

Business Editors

BOCHUM, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2002

ZN Vision

-- The Berliner Flughafengesellschaft mbH purchased the biometric access control system ZN-Face.

-- ZN-Face is the world-leading access control system based on face recognition for professional applications and will protect the security areas at Berlin airports.

-- Berlin is the first airport in Europe to roll out face recognition for every day use.

ZN Vision Technologies AG recently secured an order for another major project: Berlin airports are to be fitted with biometric equipment.

The access control system ZN-Face, developed by the Bochum specialists for face recognition, will be used for protecting security areas at Berlin airports, starting at Tegel airport.

Berliner Flughafengesellschaft mbH pushes for actions to install biometrics in airports: ZN-Face offers the solution to significantly improve airport security concepts around the world. Just recently, the pilots' organization Cockpit criticized that still not everybody is checked when seeking access to security areas at German airports.

By installing ZN-Face at Berlin airports this critical gap will be closed in the security concepts.

ZN-Face ensures that sensitive airport areas can be restricted to authorized and registered personnel only. Every person seeking access to an area protected by ZN-Face has to verify himself or herself via an automated face recognition terminal.

Potential threats posed by criminals who often succeed in entering high security areas by means of a suitable disguise (pilot and general work uniforms, cleaning utensils) are ruled out effectively: Unlike the sole use of identification card-based control systems so far operated at Berlin airports, ZN-Face provides a reliable biometric check in addition to current systems.

The individual's face characteristics are stored on a smart card while ZN-Face will compare and verify the card information with the face readings at each access station. Compared to systems with identification cards only, faces can neither be "exchanged" nor "stolen." Deception is almost impossible, not even by changing the person's appearance with a beard, wig or glasses.

While security was the most important factor for Berlin airports, other criteria contributed to the decision for ZN-Face, in particular the requirements for efficiency, possible integration into other systems, user acceptance and a proven technology. The system enables a multi-layer administration of access rights for every airport employee while the system is working completely independent and faultless.

Most access control systems that are already in place can be upgraded with ZN-Face. The integration of time attendance systems and other applications is possible, too.

ZN's face recognition systems enjoy a high acceptance by the employees since they are contact-free, non-intrusive, do not impact operational freedom to move and at the same time, the recognition result in form of a photograph is transparent and thus understandable for humans.

Data protection commissioners prefer face recognition over other biometrics since faces are the number one criteria for identification of humans and photographs are already widely implemented on most cards.

Berliner Flughafengesellschaft mbH awarded ZN Vision Technologies AG with the contract due to ZN's extensive experience with face recognition systems and a large reference base of other high security projects.

Security representatives from the Berliner Flughafen-Gesellschaft mbH realized the importance of effective measures against the threat of terror, they conducted extensive tests and are now putting the best system to practice. The installation of ZN-Face at Berlin airports will set new standards in Europe and will help Germany's capital to become a more secure place.

This press release is also available on the internet at www.zn-ag.com