Brunel students and staff are the first in the UK to pay for their shopping using the veins in their fingers.
Customers at the Costcutter store on its Uxbridge campus can now pay using the unique vein pattern in their fingertip to identify themselves.
FingoPay, the new payment technology, takes a 3D scan of the customer’s finger at the till and links this biometric map to their bank account.
“For the students, it is convenient, reliable and safe,” said Brunel’s James Budkiewicz, Assistant Director of Commercial Services.
With £5 credit as a carrot to get set up, hundreds have registered to use the scheme since it started with Fresher’s Week on Monday. And the firm behind the technology, Sthaler, are aiming for 3,000 by November.
Shoppers’ bank details are stored with payment provider Worldpay, just like how online shoppers can store their card details. That means registered shoppers can turn up to the branch without payment cards and buy things within the space of three seconds.
Sthaler is now in talks with other major UK supermarkets, nightclubs and gyms about plans to roll it out across thousands of outlets.
“The real benefit is not having to queue at the ATM and not worry about losing cash or cards anymore,” said Mr Budkiewicz. “It reduces queuing at tills, and for retailers, it brings the ability to introduce loyalty schemes and reward customers for returning.”
FingoPay's use at Brunel has appeared across the media in the UK and worldwide
Reported by:
Hayley Jarvis,
Media Relations
hayley.jarvis@brunel.ac.uk