Next Big Thing: palm-reading ATMs

Next Big Thing – palm reading ATMs

Palm-reading? I see a tall, dark stranger…
Very funny – but these ATMs are going to be crossing your palm with silver, not the other way around.

How's that?
Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank in Japan has installed Fujitsu palm scanners at its ATMs that do away with the need for a cash card altogether. You just scan your hand, it reads your vein pattern – and then you confirm your identity with your PIN number and date of birth. Presto! Cash in hand.

Sounds handy.
It is – especially if you don't have any identification to hand. There's a very serious rationale behind using palm readers instead of cash cards – Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank was inspired to create the system after many Japanese people were left without any identification in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami last year. Now, though, as the bank says, "You are your cash card."