Hitachi has developed a new payment system based on finger vein authentication technology. Hitachi Finger vein authentication systems identify individuals based on the unique blood flow patterns in their fingers. With the introduction of the system, office workers can buy drinks and other goods from vending machines or at stores in the company building, simply by placing their fingers over a scanner, instead of using a corporate ID card. Actual payment is made later.

With its high recognition accuracy, finger vein authentication technology can contribute to preventing ID falsification, and the system has recently attracted a lot of attention as a next-generation biometric identification technology to replace fingerprint authentication, the most commonly-used technology today. Hitachi is aiming for total sales of 110 billion yen between fiscal 2009 and 2011, through collaboration with local companies in Europe, the U.S. and Asia, where fingerprint authentication is widely used in security systems at immigration control or military facilities.