Vodafone truck reborn: Smarter charging with palm secure tech

The Vodafone VIP Recharge Truck hits the UK’s festivals again this summer. You can see the finishing touches being applied in the video above, but look closely and you’ll notice it’s changed a bit in the off-season. Our 44 tonne rig has still got the same monster recharging capacity as last year, but now it’s sporting built-in DJ booths and next-gen hand-scanners that’ll keep your phone safe, and cut the queue for collecting it too.

Last year, we used photos of phone owners and barcoded wristbands, but wristbands get lost, faces need a human to make a judgement call on identity and we think we can do things better with the help of some cutting-edge technology. That’s why this summer’s outing will see our truck packing infrared Palm Vein Readers.

Place your hand into the Fujitsu Palm Secure reader, and the Vodafone truck will identify you using the pattern of blood vessels just under your skin. It’s a slick system that offers top notch security, avoids relying on wristbands, and even works if your hands are caked in festival mud (antibacterial wipes will be available), which we hope will make any queues the fastest moving ones on site.

Read the full story on our blog: http://www.biometrictribe.com/?p=509