By Greg Machetti
May 12, 2008
http://technology.canoe.ca/Columnists/Michetti/2008/05/12/5541311.html

Every Canadian has at least three “air travel” stories; the only common theme being that none of them are good.

Heck, even event planning professionals tell you the best way to kick start conversation at a cocktail or dinner party is to have somebody tell a tale about how his luggage was mistakenly diverted to Beaver Crotch, PA or how the Immigration Nazi third degreed his wife at Pearson on the red eye back from Maui. Personally, I’ve often wondered about the security of the security people, especially when I see baggage handlers playing volleyball with my luggage right outside of my row 12 window.

However, I actually feel a bit better about all this after interviewing the President of Unisys Canada (www.unisys.ca) Bob Binns. Last week, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) awarded Unisys Canada Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unisys Corp., a contract to supply, integrate and manage a new identification management system, using fingerprint and iris biometric technology to verify the identities of airport workers at 29 airports in Canada.

After 9/11, security around air travel changed big time, especially in North America and especially with those who work at mechanical, administrative or service positions inside the airport terminal.

To validate these people, Unisys will use both a fingerprint and iris scan technology to identify and enroll nearly 100,000 workers across the country. Typically, a new employee shows up for work on Day 1 and the fingerprint and iris scan is performed. A 25 digit algorithm is generated and stored as a template that is kept within the system and as a chip on a security “smart” card.

A background check with the appropriate security agencies is then made and if there aren’t any problems, the smart ID card is issued to the employee. The card contains a picture as well although the photo is only used for visual purposes. The validation occurs as the algorithms on the card and in the system must match when the employee enters or leaves the secure area

The new system, based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products from ImageWare Systems, will replace the existing application used in CATSA’s Restricted Area Identification Card (RAIC) system.

The contract will run two years, followed by two additional two-year option periods. Unisys will also provide data management, integration and project management services for the deployment of the new version of the RAIC application. Additional services will include training, preparation of training material and provision of technical support once the application is deployed.

Unisys is also the integrator for a recently announced three-year contract with the Port of Los Angeles to design and manage an identification and access control system, using smart card and biometric technologies to identify workers who require access to restricted areas in the port. The firm also boasts a successful fingerprint and facial biometric field trial for the Citizenship & Immigration Canada agency to process temporary visa applications for approximately 20,000 students, workers, visitor and refugee claimants over six months. Last year, the Port of Halifax awarded a contract to Unisys to design and develop a vascular biometric credentialing and access control database solution for approximately 4,000 port workers.

Will we eventually see this type of technology applied to the average traveler?

“Oh for sure,” adds Binns. “There is a lot of public support for it.”

“We see it in some of the emerging areas – Scandinavia for example –where it is already being adopted.”

While you rarely see loud TV or splashy print advertisements about Unisys, the company has been around for a long time and seems to prefer this lower pubic profile.

“We are not a major outsourcer,” says Binns. “We are focused on security – and doing very well in it.”

Air travel and hanging around airports isn’t nearly as much fun as it used to be but projects like the Unisys smart card technology will go a long way to improving the safety levels of Canadian airports.

Gregory B. Michetti of the Alberta-based systems integration firm Michetti Information Solutions, Inc. can be reached via www.michetti.com.