"fingerprint" news and stories

Looks like school lunches are finger-lickin' good. Or finger-scannin' good, that is.

Earlier this summer, Nicole mentioned the implementation of finger print scanning system in schools in the UK. The system has landed in the US.

In an effort to speed kids through the cafeteria lunch lines, Rome City Schools in Georgia has implemented a scanning system that allows students to pay for their meals with their fingerprints. Previously, students punched in a PIN number that added their meals to a growing "tab." Now, according to one second grader, "The finger's better because all you've got to do is put your finger in, and you don't have to do the number and get mixed up."

Some parents are worried about the security of their children's information. Me? I'm just worried that children will forget how to remember things. Like numbers.

[via: engadget]

Some schools are offering parents a new way to watch what their kids eat. Instead of simply offering healthier choices in the school cafeteria, students will have to use a fingerprint scanner to "pay" for their foods. The scanner debits an account that the parents maintain and it will have built in spending limits, so parents can set aside $5, or whatever the cost of the school lunch is. The main benefit of the scanner is not to provide an easier way to pay for lunch, but to prevent kids from buying unhealthy junk foods when they're off campus. If they don't have any cash, they will be forced to "buy" their food as school, rather than skipping lunch and eating a king sized Kit Kat and a Slurpee after school.

There are other applications to the fingerprint scanners that might make them a more useful choice for schools, as well. For example, they could replace the regular "roll call" and students could sign in by scanning their finger when walking in to class.

Source