Biometric ATM debuted by NCR

NCR has developed what is being heralded as the next generation of cash machine (that's ATM, if you're in the US). Developed by NCR's Advanced Solutions team in Dundee, Scotland, the new machine is being tested in Canada. Called Stella the Teller, and featured on the BBC's Six O'Clock News TV programme in the UK, the machine does away with the need for bank cards. That's right, gone are the days of inserting your card and tapping in your ID number, followed by that tiresome practice of selecting which service you want. Instead Stella scans your eye and, by mapping the patterns that make up your iris, it can identify who you are. This represents a significant step forward in the fight against crime. Then Stella speaks to you: "Which service do you require?" You shout 'cash' - assuming you want cash that is. "How much cash," Stella asks you. You then shout back how much money you want. The mugger standing just behind you may ask you to speak up at this point, so he can work out if it's worth his while attacking you or not. This represents a significant step backward in the fight against crime. Technology. You just gotta love it. ®