Contactless technology and hassle-free integration with IT are two key trends driving the development of biometric access control technology within the corporate security space today.

Security technology specialist firm Morpho says there is an increasing demand by businesses across the continent for cost effective, easily managed access control and Time & Attendance (T&A) solutions.

The manufacturer recently released the Morpho Wave and describes the offering as "the world's first biometric access solution to capture and match four fingerprints with a single hand movement."

This technology, along with solutions that enable mobile access control and 3F face readers (designed to analyse the structure of the face using over 40 000 data points), formed part of a recent product showcase hosted by the company.

As a manufacturer Morpho works through its partner network regarding the reselling and integration of its products. It invests 13% of its revenue into R&D.

Having established itself within the Southern Africa and SADC region, the intention now is to focus on east and west of the continent.

Guillaume Lefevre, VP Market Development and Sales at Morpho, says contactless technology is the next big thing for Access Control and T&A solutions. "As enterprises continue to move towards efficiency, frictionless access to controlled areas is paramount. Users need to be able to gain access naturally, without having to break the gate."

Lefevre adds that access control is keeping pace with its physical security industry counterparts in its ability to adapt to consumer market trends.

This is due to specific influences including the dominance of cloud storage, the focus on enterprise access control, the adoption of interoperability standards and a changing relationship with IT departments.

In May this year the company emphasised Africa's growing interest in convergence of security systems and platforms, improved integration with IT and a more holistic approach in terms of security strategies.