Arkansas Patent of the Month – January 2023
A controlled environment facility typically requires residents to be tracked and monitored. Prisons are the clearest example of this type of facility, though hospitals and mental health facilities may also fit the definition. Resident or inmate identification in these facilities is a tedious task that is both time-consuming and expensive, and often provides little in the way of proof. This burden has been exacerbated by the sharp increase in inmate population over the past few years which has not been followed by a proportional increase in the number of prison or jail staff.
Tech Friends Inc. has recently been granted a patent for their biometric-based inmate identification system. The company has made a name for themselves as they continually innovate and create technology solutions for the corrections environment.
Their system involves the use of biometric capture devices that are placed within controlled-environment areas, such as a resident communications kiosk or a personal resident media device. The system captures biometrics of residents, enrolls key biometric identification features, and compares captured biometrics to enrolled features to identify the resident. The system logs the presence of the resident in the controlled-environment area at the time of biometric capture.
This allows the prison to capture the biometrics of residents during regular check-in procedures, where residents present themselves to the biometric capture device. At these check-in points, the system captures the resident’s biometrics, indicating their presence, as well as additional information about the resident’s physical location within the controlled-environment area. The capturing of biometrics may also occur on a continual basis and logging of presence may be carried out periodically.
With this innovative system, controlled-environment facilities can be more secure and administration personnel can focus on more important tasks. The biometric data cannot be faked or forged, ensuring no resident can impersonate another. Tech Friends continues to strive for innovation and improvement in the field of biometrics, making a real impact on society.
Are you developing new technology for an existing application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.
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