Biometric smartcards take off in Asia

But fingerprinting not popular with some

Government ID card programmes will provide a huge boost for the biometrics market in Asia, analysts predict.

Researchers at US-based Frost & Sullivan pointed to an "immense opportunity" for smartcards in these untapped markets.

"National ID projects such as the Mykad of Malaysia already have biometrics implemented on the card," said Frost & Sullivan senior research analyst Navin Rajendra.

"Future projects in India, China and Japan are also preparing for the deployment of biometric-enabled national ID cards."

However, the perceived link between some traditional forms of biometric identity checking, such as fingerprints and the identification of criminals, is strengthening interest in less commonly used metrics.

"This is partly because certain biometric methods such as fingerprint identification are often associated with criminal detection," said Rajendra.

"As a result, markets such as Japan and South Korea are averse to the use of fingerprint biometrics and are increasingly adopting non-intrusive methods of user identification in spite of their higher costs."

However, Rajendra predicts that fingerprint identification will continue to be the dominant mode of biometric identification in most markets.

The expansion and large-scale implementation of a number of biometric projects will compel manufacturers to focus on standardisation, according to the analyst.

Once this technology becomes ubiquitous, users will become more comfortable with the biometrics system.