HID unveils advanced biometric & passwordless tech in Sydney

HID is set to present its latest biometric facial recognition hardware and passwordless authentication technology at the 2025 Security Exhibition and Conference in Sydney.

The company will debut several products including the HID Amico facial recognition reader, the OMNIKEY SE Plug portable authentication reader, FIDO-enabled cards, and the Mercury MP Intelligent controllers.

Workforce mobility

Steve Katanas, Head of ANZ, Physical Access Control Solutions at HID, discussed the motivation behind these new releases. He said:

"HID is developing and showcasing scalable technologies that meet the needs of today's highly mobile workforce. HID technology enables people to seamlessly and securely move between physical and digital places to enhance workplace efficiencies and improve productivity across both worlds. We are proud to present the latest in product innovations that will future-proof workplace security at this year's Security Exhibition & Conference. We also look forward to demonstrating the future of access control and trusted identity solutions to the Australian security community."

HID Amico is described as an advanced biometric facial recognition reader tailored to demands for secure, seamless, and contactless site access. The device aims for faster and more accurate identification while minimising access delays due to false rejections. According to the company, Amico can help mitigate risks associated with unauthorised entry and provides real-time identity verification, especially in higher traffic environments such as healthcare facilities, government offices, data centres, and corporate workplaces.

Multiple authentication methods are supported by HID Amico, including facial recognition, HID Mobile Access and wallet credentials, RFID cards, QR codes, and PINs, giving users a range of secure access options according to their requirements.

Portable authentication

The launch of OMNIKEY SE Plug marks HID's response to growing requirements for mobile authentication at workstations and systems, particularly for employees who work remotely or travel regularly. This portable reader is designed for use with smartphones, tablets, and laptops, using a cable-free, plug-and-play approach. It leverages FIDO2 and multi-factor authentication, which relies on public key cryptography to protect against phishing attempts and credential theft.

The device is intended for a range of roles where secure remote access is crucial, such as healthcare professionals with electronic health record systems, emergency services, retail, logistics, and government agencies. HID states that OMNIKEY SE Plug may also facilitate passwordless authentication for staff responding to incidents and remote applications, including natural disaster responses where rapid system access is needed.

Phishing-resistant credentials

HID is also unveiling its FIDO and FIDO-enabled cards, emphasising phishing-resistant authentication and enterprise-grade management for the entire product lifecycle. The company aims to simplify passwordless security, making it accessible for organisations of varying sizes.

With increasing complexity in separately managing physical and digital access, HID's suite is promoted as a unified approach. The company claims its single-card solution merges physical access with passwordless authentication for business applications, streamlining deployment and management, while supporting productivity and operational simplicity.

Systems integration

Mercury MP Intelligent Controllers are another addition to HID's portfolio, allowing integration across secure access technologies, IoT devices, elevators, readers, and other systems. The new Mercury embedded application environment directly supports integration with third-party applications as well as running custom business logic on the controller hardware, which expands potential use cases beyond simple access reader integration.

According to HID, Mercury controllers are designed to function as a point of integration for a wider range of devices and systems than previous hardware offerings, supporting organisations in IT and security with their evolving and interconnected infrastructure.

HID remains focused on demonstrating these solutions as part of its ongoing efforts to address security, mobility, and access in contemporary professional environments.