Beijing subways may soon get facial recognition and hand scanners

A bio-ID surveillance framework that can recognize subway users may soon come to Beijing. China Daily reports two forms of bio-recognition being put forward -- palm touch and facial recognition. Together, they could offer a viable long-term solution to ease congestion issues and help reduce fare evasion. Beijing's subway is the world's busiest; it groans under the weight of around 10 million daily commuters and is a prime candidate for ticketless operations. That's where the bio-ID tracking comes in: once properly installed, cameras with online network connections would be able to identify individuals entering the city's subway stations, and palm scanning devices would allow riders to use their hands in lieu of a traditional tickets.