Catch the wave
Biometrics is just starting to climb the steep side of the classic product life cycle. Potential customers now understand the benefits.
The overcrowded vendor field has thinned out, leaving clear-cut technologies and a few strong suppliers. Venture capital is beginning to pour into biometrics, enabling serious marketing and product development efforts.
HIPPA and the Financial Services Modernisation Act of 1999 are putting pressure on health-care and financial institutions to adopt privacy and security measures that are well met by biometrics. After all, it never hurts to have Uncle Sam on your side.
And, finally, consumers are growing weary of data entry, they're afraid of identity theft and they're warming up to e-commerce.
Taken together, all of those factors should place biometrics high to your "things to learn" list for next year.
Oh, and if you've read this far but still don't know who HAL is, do yourself a favor: Buy Clarke's book or rent the movie. Once you do, you'll never look at your PC, an ATM or your Pod Bay Door (a.k.a. garage door that's opened remotely) the same way again.
