Author Topic: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner  (Read 18904 times)

CafeCuppio

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Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« on: March 06, 2012, 06:54:38 am »
Hi all,

I tried the search but could not find any topic regarding this. Can Samba POS accommodate fingerprint scanners (USB) for logins rather then the code? Codes can be used by other people so it will help with security.

Thanks
GK
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!

JohnS

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2012, 10:25:07 am »
It is a very good question.

I will leave this question to Emre, the SambaPOS Project Manager.

I would like to add, maybe support for RFID Tags as well.
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.

emre

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2012, 05:15:47 pm »
Currently there is no support for these devices but other than security it will be nice for faster login. Let me give more detail about what I mean with "faster login"

If not requested specifically we generally don't prefer using handheld terminals. These devices costs too much and we need to give a hand terminal for each service personnel. There are lots of problems like battery charge, wireless problems, physical damages because of dropping it, etc. For these reasons instead of using handheld terminals we prefer wall kiosks and we use "auto logout" feature on these kiosks. When that feature enabled: Personnel logins, selects a table and closing ticket immediately logs user out. With the help of role permissions they never see navigation screen or other SambaPOS screens. So multiple waiters can enter orders from a single wall kiosk and for most businesses that works better than using hand terminals.

Yes it works fine but that workflow needs alternatives to pin code login. Maybe more than 300 times a day people logs in to a single kiosk. Wasting 3-5 seconds while entering an order might not seem like a big problem but when summed that makes a lot of time.

I'll ask my hardware vendor for obtaining a test hardware if they have any. When I understand how they works I'll be happy to create a solution for this.

Thanks...

CafeCuppio

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2012, 12:28:55 am »
Hi

That is great news Emre, and yes I agree with you, it helps a lot with faster login. I will not go the Handheld terminal way simply because of cost as you said. So I have a station where all my waiters enter their orders.

I have noticed that currently you have to manually logout after you enter an order, so I am still playing around to if I can get a workaround.

To come back to the fingerprint reader/scanner, I currently use the U.are.U 4500B Reader, it is very popular here are have given me no issues at all.
http://www.digitalpersona.com/Biometrics/Hardware-Products/U-are-U-4500-Reader/4500-Reader/

Well, looking forward to a solution ;)

GK
« Last Edit: March 07, 2012, 12:31:18 am by CafeCuppio »
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CafeCuppio

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2012, 11:10:56 am »
For these reasons instead of using handheld terminals we prefer wall kiosks and we use "auto logout" feature on these kiosks.

Can this "auto logout feature" be done on SambaPOS and how?
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!

emre

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2012, 11:17:47 am »
Yes. You'll create a new terminal setting ( for example named "Kiosk") and enable Auto Logout feature. After doing that you'll open SambaPOS on a terminal, navigate to manage > local settings and set terminal selection setting as "Kiosk". That will auto logout users when they close tickets on that terminal.

For skipping navigation and loging in to table screen directly you'll disable "Can open navigation" permission of the user role. If you didn't do so creating a new user role for users will be a good idea.

CafeCuppio

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2012, 11:34:26 am »
Now I feel real stupid .... I saw that setting but never realised .... think I will crawl into bed now.

thanks Emre....
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emre

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2012, 12:12:10 pm »
Haha OK. Good Night!

CafeCuppio

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2012, 11:17:09 pm »
On my way to bed, I wondered if this auto logout can be User Based (or User Role based) and not Terminal Based? The reason is that I have my Cashier and Waiters share a terminal at this stage.
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!

emre

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2012, 11:02:01 am »
Maybe it is time to check "Ticket Tags" for assigning Waiters to tickets.
In this case Cashier will enter all tickets and choose a waiter for tracking which waiters ticket is that.
http://doc.sambapos.org/doku.php/en/guide/ticket_tags

CafeCuppio

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Re: Biometric / Fingerprint scanner
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2012, 02:04:40 am »
I should have stayed in bed, thanks Emre
SambaPOS - POS'n the World, one Terminal at a time.
Even in Namibia, Africa!