Amazon One verifies your identity by scanning your palm

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? Amazon’s physical retail team on Tuesday introduced a new contactless method for people to interact with wireless scanners at grocery stores, sporting events and even at work.

Dubbed Amazon One, the system allows people to use their unique palm print to pay for purchases at the store, present a loyalty card, enter a stadium or clock in at work.

Amazon said the service was built with security in mind, utilizing custom algorithms and hardware to capture a person’s unique palm signature.

Amazon One will first be deployed at select Amazon Go stores, positioned at the front gate and used as an alternative means of entry. Those interested in trying it out can do so at two of Amazon’s Go stores in Seattle: the original shop at 7th & Blanchard and the location in South Lake Union at 300 Boren Avenue.

The e-commerce giant said it takes less than a minute to get set up to use Amazon One at the store, noting that you don’t need an Amazon account to sign up or use it. A mobile phone number and a credit card will suffice.

The first step is to insert your credit card. Next, hover you palm over the device and follow the prompts to associate that card with the unique palm signature being built for you by our computer vision technology in real time. You’ll have the option to enroll with just one palm or both. And that’s it—you’re now signed up. Once you’re enrolled, to use Amazon One to enter these Amazon Go stores, you’ll just hold your palm above the Amazon One device at entry for about a second or so, and be on your way. It’s that simple.

Amazon said it chose palm recognition due to it being considered more private than some other biometric alternatives. It also requires a user to make the intentional gesture of holding their palm over a device to use. Plus, it is contactless, which is convenient in these current times of heightened sanitation and health concerns.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/86920-amazon-one-verifies-identity-scanning-palm.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

What could possibly go wrong.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Um, no.
Too early for that. North Americans are still not activating tap to pay options on debit cards for various reasons. And so many are still using cash. We're nowhere near where even China is in regards to convenient payment methods like WeChat. They use that one app for a ton of things. Cash is sometimes not accepted at all and this is pre-COVID.

North America is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to tech for me to trust they will have a better payment option than China. All I can see are various US companies trying different methods that will be inconvenient to users.

I'm not saying copy WeChat, but think along those lines.

Everyone has one unique palm print.
I can get a new card number if I lose it. I can't get a new palm print. What if there is a problem with my print? How long will it take to correct? I'll watch what happens, but I'm not optimistic. Plus it's Amazon doing it. What they sell primarily requires credit and debit cards, so I can't see them NEEEDING this more than them wanting to try it.

We'll see what happens.

 

[stewi0001]

Actually your hands, or parts of it, could get "lost or misplaced"...

 

[Uncle Al]

I fail to see the value of this system and I wonder how long it will be before somebody finds a bypass. We just seem to see more and more of these systems that are not well thought out and in some cases, further deprive us of our privacy .... and scanning and keeping a copy of my palm / finger prints certainly provides for some sophisticated abuse by others (including our own government).

 

[p51d007]

NO thanks!

 

[p51d007]

Um, no.
Too early for that. North Americans are still not activating tap to pay options on debit cards for various reasons. And so many are still using cash. We're nowhere near where even China is in regards to convenient payment methods like WeChat. They use that one app for a ton of things. Cash is sometimes not accepted at all and this is pre-COVID.

North America is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to tech for me to trust they will have a better payment option than China. All I can see are various US companies trying different methods that will be inconvenient to users.

I'm not saying copy WeChat, but think along those lines.

Everyone has one unique palm print.
I can get a new card number if I lose it. I can't get a new palm print. What if there is a problem with my print? How long will it take to correct? I'll watch what happens, but I'm not optimistic. Plus it's Amazon doing it. What they sell primarily requires credit and debit cards, so I can't see them NEEEDING this more than them wanting to try it.

We'll see what happens.

It will happen after I am gone, but eventually, cash will disappear. Once it does, so does what little privacy you have. EVERYTHING you do, can be traced. Once "national healthcare" comes along, ANYTHING you purchase or do can be stopped. Try buying a "big mac" and fries, but it won't be allowed because after your last yearly government checkup, your BMI was too high and you are a type 2 diabetic. Try to buy a new vehicle, NOPE, doesn't get a good gas mileage, take the bus. Try to buy a new house 60 miles from where you work. Nope, live in a high rise in town to cut down on "greenhouse" gas. Try working under the table for cash, to avoid taxes, nope.

 

[lipe123]

Is this Facebook comments section? All I see is tinfoil hatters here going on about how the system we have now is so amazing.

Counterfeit cash doesn't exist?
Wide scale credit card fraud doesn't exist?

So many more issues with that is available now.

Actually your hands, or parts of it, could get "lost or misplaced"...

Sure bud, someone is going to saw off your hand to go buy a chocolate bar from the Amazon store..

I fail to see the value of this system and I wonder how long it will be before somebody finds a bypass. -Snip-

Did you try to see the benefits? Like ACTUALLY spent maybe 7 seconds thinking about it?

It will happen after I am gone, but eventually, cash will disappear. Once it does, so does what little privacy you have. EVERYTHING you do, can be traced. -Snip-

You mean like right now.. actually now for SEVERAL years everything you do is being traced?
Have you heard of Snowden and the FBI/the US govt? Do you live under a rock?
Your privacy is an illusion unless you move off grid into some dense forested area you will never really have privacy.

 

[stewi0001]

Sure bud, someone is going to saw off your hand to go buy a chocolate bar from the Amazon store..

I was referring to the video stating that you lose or misplace your hands. While they are normally attached to you stuff can happen. if something happens to your hand(s) like losing a finger, getting stitches, wearing a cast, or etc. then it is possible that you would not be able to use the system. Especially if you lose your whole hand. I assume that there is some kind of hand re-registration process.

 

[tacobravo]

This might seem like a good idea at first but man does it scream privacy issues galaore

 

[lipe123]

I was referring to the video stating that you lose or misplace your hands. While they are normally attached to you stuff can happen. if something happens to your hand(s) like losing a finger, getting stitches, wearing a cast, or etc. then it is possible that you would not be able to use the system. Especially if you lose your whole hand. I assume that there is some kind of hand re-registration process.

If you lose a 2FA device now are you locked out forever? of course not.
If you lose your pwd.. same thing.
If you forget your username - again, there are other recovery options.

Would be the exact same process.