CAMPBELL, CALIF.
- April 13, 2005 - Recognition Systems, the biometric component of Ingersoll-Rand's
(IR) Security & Safety's Electronic Control Systems, announced today that
Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wausau, Wisconsin is using 50 of its biometric HandReaders
to ensure only authorized individuals access hospital grounds. Aspirus Wausau
Hospital serves the health care needs of residents of Wausau and a 12-county
region of northern and central Wisconsin.
Over 3,000 Aspirus Wausau employees are enrolled with the HandReaders, which
automatically take a three-dimensional reading of the size and shape of a hand
and verify the user's identity in less than one second. Recognition Systems
was named recipient of the 2004 Application Market Penetration Leadership Award
for access control and time and attendance applications in Frost & Sullivan's
study, World Biometrics Market.
"We chose biometrics because of the high cost of using access control cards,"
explains Greg Pehlke, Security Supervisor for the hospital. "We were spending
$2,000 a month on smart cards with computer chips, which employees were simply
loaning to unauthorized individuals. Much of this cost, and the security breaches,
have been eliminated with the HandReaders."
Aspirus Wausau Hospital's previous card-based system had reached full capacity,
and it would frequently freeze up. During the transition to biometric access
control, the hospital had a dual system running with both card and HandReaders.
Now, however, the hospital is using only HandReaders for access control.
The hospital's 50 HandReaders, including rugged outdoor models designed to handle
inclement weather, control access to the hospital. The front entrance is locked
down after visiting hours and only authorized individuals can enter at that
point. The HandReaders are networked and all security systems are monitored
from the security department's dispatch center.
Hospital officials have found hand geometry to be more reliable than other biometric
technologies they researched, Pehlke emphasized. There are fewer false reads
with HandReaders and fingerprint scanners just don't work for large user populations.
The hospital will be adding six new readers this year. More departments are
requesting the HandReaders so that they can eliminate keys and increase security,
Pehlke said.
HandReaders handle any population volume with ease while providing impeccable
reliability. With dramatically lower false reject and failure to enroll rates
than other biometric technologies, the value of HandReaders grows as the number
of users and/or transactions increases. They are recommended for outdoor applications.
About Recognition Systems
With over 100,000 hand geometry units throughout the world reading millions
of hands each day, IR Recognition Systems, founded in 1986, is the pioneer and
only manufacturer of the leading two biometric technologies, hand geometry and
finger scan. The world sales leader of biometric verification devices used in
access control, time and attendance and identification applications, it serves
an international clientele from its headquarters in Campbell, Calif. Its website
is www.handreader.com. Phone is 408-341-4100. Recognition Systems is the biometric
business unit of Ingersoll-Rand's Security & Safety's Electronic Control
Systems. Ingersoll-Rand is a leading innovation and solutions provider for the
major global markets of Security and Safety, Climate Control, Industrial Solutions
and Infrastructure. Ingersoll-Rand's website is www.irco.com.
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