This is the first introduction of a biometric-enabled banking product. The company says the product would aide penetration of ATMs in rural India. FSS' BAIS solution works with ATMs from leading vendors such as Diebold, NCR, Wincor-Nixdorf and others that have enhanced support for biometrics. FSS is also working with Vortex, a company specialising in rural ATMs with finger-print verification.

ATM enhancements with biometric support envisaged by vendors eliminate the need for PIN entry, and authenticate customer transactions by thumb-impressions. A simplified menu on ATMs coupled with possible audio guidance in local language enable easy use for literacy-challenged rural masses.

"Banks are looking at ways of enhancing micro financing, and are taking initiatives for financial inclusion, says Nagaraj Mylandla, managing director, FSS. He added, "ATMs with biometric support make it easier for people in rural areas to withdraw cash. Our new BAIS product fulfills the need of connectivity of ATMs with biometric support with banks' online authorisation systems."

So far bank ATMs are dependent PIN verification. The finger-print authentication method is non-PIN based, and this requires enhancements to the standard Switch environment. FSS' BAIS solution meets this requirement, by performing requisite message translations as well as confirmation of authorization.