Amazon’s palm scanning service now offers the convenience of sign-up directly from your mobile device.
Palm features used in personal identification. Image credit: Amazon
Instead of requiring a visit to a physical location, users can now enroll in Amazon One by capturing images of their palm using the newly launched Amazon One app, available on both iOS and Android platforms. This streamlined process enables users to set up their accounts swiftly, facilitating the use of palm scanning for authentication purposes at supported locations.
Previously, Amazon One enrollment requited visiting designated physical sites, where users could link their palm print to their Amazon account for various purposes such as making purchases or age verification.
Presently, this service is accessible at all Whole Foods stores across the US, select Panera Bread locations, and over 150 other venues, including stadiums, airports, fitness centers, and convenience stores.
Amazon One utilizes advanced generative AI technology to analyze the unique vein structure of the palm, generating a distinct numerical vector representation for identification during in-store palm scans. It’s noteworthy that Amazon does not utilize raw palm images for identification purposes.
On the mobile app, Amazon employs AI algorithms to compare the photo captured by the phone’s camera with the near-infrared imagery obtained from an Amazon One device. Users are required to integrate a payment method within the app and upload a photo of their identification for age verification purposes if desired. Additionally, the app allows for the linking of loyalty programs, season passes, and gym memberships.
While privacy concerns surrounding the technology persist, Amazon asserts that palm and vein images are promptly encrypted and transmitted to a highly secure section within the AWS Cloud, specifically designated for Amazon One. It is in this secure environment that Amazon creates the unique palm signature.
Furthermore, Amazon emphasizes that the new app incorporates additional layers of anti-spoofing measures, and it explicitly prohibits the saving or downloading of palm images to the user’s device. Nonetheless, some individuals may remain apprehensive about relinquishing their biometric data, considering the irreplaceable nature of palm prints compared to traditional passwords.
Written by Alius Noreika