HandKey II Manual
Page 3
Introduction
HandKey II The HandKey II is Recognition Systems’ fourth generation biometric access
control HandReader1. The HandReader records and stores the three-
dimensional shape of the human hand for comparison and identity verification.
Upon verification, the HandReader produces an output that can unlock a door,
send card format data to an access control panel, or communicate with a host
computer. The HandReader also has auxiliary inputs and outputs that can be
used to control other systems such as CCTV cameras and alarms.
Biometrics Biometric is a term describing the automatic measurement and comparison of
human characteristics. While its origins are ancient, the evolution of advanced
scanning and microprocessor technology brought biometrics into everyday life.
Electronic hand geometry technology first appeared in the 1970s. Recognition
Systems Inc., founded in 1986, built the first mass-produced hand geometry
readers and made biometric technology affordable for the commercial market.
Today, Recognition Systems’ products are in use in every imaginable application
from protecting cash vaults to verifying parents in obstetric wards.
Principle of
Operation
The HandReader uses low-level infrared light, and a CMOS camera to capture a
three-dimensional image of the hand. The HandReader then converts the image
to a 9 byte electronic template, and stores the template in a database with the
user’s information.
To gain access, the user enters his or her ID number at the HandReader’s
keypad or uses an external card reader. The HandReader prompts the user to
place his or her hand on the reader’s platen2. The HandReader compares the
hand on the platen with the user’s unique template. If the images match, the
HandReader unlocks the door or sends the user’s ID number to a third-party
access control panel for verification.
The
HandKey II
Reader
The HandReader is an intelligent access control system that can operate as a
stand-alone unit, in a network with other HandReaders, or in a network with a
host computer. Refer to Figure 1-1 when reviewing the information in this
section.
1. For the sake of using a consistent name throughout the manual, the HandKey II is
referred to as the HandReader for the remainder of this manual.
2. The platen is the flat surface at the base of the HandReader (see Figure 1-1). This is
where users place their hands for enrollment and verification. It has guide pins to
position the fingers during use.
