UK Border Agency trials automated biometric control system

The UK Border Agency is undertaking a groundbreaking trial of an automated border control system at Manchester International airport.

The system, provided by Fujitsu Services in partnership with Vision-Box SA, allows passengers holding electronic passports and arriving through Terminal 1 at Manchester airport to fast-track through immigration with no prior registration.

By using advanced facial recognition algorithms and intelligent sensor technology, the system guides passengers through the ‘smart gates’ – alleviating pressure on queue times and improving the overall passenger arrival experience.

The automated system combines the operation of reading and checking electronic passports with an innovative feature for assessing the biometric data required to open the gates. Both of these checks are integrated into the UK’s existing border control systems to ensure integrity of the border is maintained.

Eithne Wallis, managing director, government business at Fujitsu Services, commented: “Trials of this nature are a hugely exciting prospect for UK ports of entry. Border control is an issue close to everyone’s heart and the ability to combine speed and throughput of passengers with the highest integrity of border control will change the travel experience as we know it. This really is a ground-breaking trial.”