Future Air Travel Forecast Integrates Biometrics And Metaverse
Biometrics have recently been discussed by a number of private and public organizations, including SITA, Amadeus, and Oosto. In the first place, there is the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Last week, its executive director, Rick Cotton, spoke in favor of biometric technology at a conference on government modernization. However, no new projects are scheduled by the authority in this area.
Cotton stated in an article by City & State that he sees benefits from the use of biometrics in airports to help pass any "pinch points." The ID verification vendor Clear has kiosks located at LaGuardia, Newark, and Kennedy airports in the New York metropolitan area.
SITA teases new digital ID, metaverse applications
It should also be noted that SITA, a provider of ID services and biometrics, recently released its Meet the Megatrends report, which examines 12 emerging technological, societal, traveler, and economic trends predicted to significantly affect travel by 2033.
These new technologies involve new automation and digital ID applications designed to enhance passengers' journeys, whether they are traveling on airlines, in flying cars, or utilizing the virtual world to prepare for, pay for, or endure air travel. According to SITA, metaverse experiences will be commonplace by 2030.
“While the travel recovery accelerates globally, airports and airlines are scrambling to provide the seamless travel experience passengers expect, often with slashed workforces and squeezed budgets,” explains lkka Kivelä, vice president of strategy and innovation at SITA.
“The climate crisis demands swifter and more decisive industry action to make travel more sustainable, Kivelä. We now have an opportunity to reimagine the world of travel, connect the dots and transform travel with bold solutions that cross sectors and exploit the latest technologies.”
SITA also expanded its partnership with Geneva (Switzerland) Airport last month.
Amadeus unveils travel trends for 2023
Travel technology company Amadeus recently published its annual trend report reflecting many of SITA's findings.
Researchers anticipate that the metaverse will become a medium for exploring a destination or reliving experiences after people have departed.
Similarly, biometrics will facilitate smoother traveler payments and improve work-from-anywhere capabilities.
“Technology is enabling us to reach these goals,” comments Daniel Batchelor, vice president of global corporate marketing, communications and social responsibility at Amadeus.
“The metaverse, biometrics and traveler expectations from the travel industry are combining to shift the landscape rapidly.”
Oosto: Using face biometrics to increase airport security
Despite the fact that biometrics applications in airports are nothing new, Israel-based face recognition company Oosto has created an infographic that describes the technological advances in the area.
Particularly, the interactive graphic refers to "one-to-one" verification applications that can be used to efficiently and effectively verify the validity of travelers' travel documents based on their face biometrics. According to Oosto, the final decision is made by a human, but that could change as technology develops.
A number of biometric applications for airports are mentioned in the Oosto infographic, including facial recognition cameras and touchless access control.
“Our new infographic shows how airports can leverage facial recognition to create a layered approach to commonplace physical security strategies, including protecting airports entrances, sensitive interior areas, and the airport’s perimeter,” writes Oosto Chief Marketing Officer Dean Nicolls.
The solutions guide comes weeks after Oosto discussed semantic segmentation to enable contextual analytics.