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Hirsch’s Verification Station biometric technology approved by TSA

Hirsch Electronics, a leading manufacturer of access control and identity management solutions, recently confirmed its Verification Station's biometric technology passed the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) rigorous testing and was placed on the TSA's "Biometrics for Access Control" Qualified Products List (QPL).

According to the TSA's website, ‘Airport operators are encouraged to use the qualified products list to improve upon their existing access control systems by incorporating biometrics technologies'.  The requirements for QPL biometrics were spelled out in detail in a 140-page ‘Guidance Package - Biometrics for Airport Access Control' that establishes the criteria and standards that TSA believes biometric products should meet for acceptable performance for airport access control systems.

Hirsch developed the Verification Station, model family RUU, in conjunction with Cogent Systems, a global biometric identification solutions provider.  Hirsch's RUU integrates Cogent's ID-Gate biometric subsystem, one of only two products that met TSA's testing requirements for airport physical access control. 

"Hirsch chose to integrate Cogent's technologies, because we knew their quality solutions would support and enhance Hirsch's reputation for high security and product reliability," stated Kevin Reyes, Hirsch's manager of strategic OEM partners.

The biometrics in the Hirsch Verification Station passed the extensive TSA tests including requirements for a failure-to-enrol rate less than 3 percent and a 99.86 percent operational availability rate.  TSA's test required a false rejection rate (FRR) of less than 1 percent; the RUU biometric's FRR is just 0.01% ~ 0.001%.  TSA's test required a false acceptance rate (FAR) of less than 1 percent; the RUU biometric's FAR is only 0.01% ~ 0.0001% FAR.  TSA's test required a transaction time of less than six seconds; the RUU biometric extraction and ID time is only 1.5 seconds.

"We believe the Hirsch Verification Station is an excellent choice for airports, ports and other high-risk sites, uniquely providing the highest standards in identity management and access control," commented Chris Crump, Cogent's director of commercial business.