Compared to the standard issue Proximity Magnetic Access Cards we use today to get access to our offices, a Biometric Hand Reader looks like something from Star Trek. IR Recognition Systems has released a biometric Hand Reader that simultaneously analyzes more than 31,000 points and instantaneously records more than 90 separate measurements of an individual’s hand-including length, width, thickness and surface area-to verify that the person using the device is really who he or she claims to be. The HandReader compares this information with a “template” of the individual’s hand that has previously been stored in the reader, on a server or on a card. Once the person has been identified as a valid user, a door can be opened, access can be provided, or time recorded. The reading and verification process takes less than a second with impeccable reliability. I think I like this technology better than a retina scanning alternative.