At RetailTech 2010 we saw this Coca-Cola vending machine that uses Hitachi’s “finger vein authentication” (VeinID) technology for when you want to buy a drink.
The biometric system employs near-infrared light scanned into your finger vein to see who you are. This might seem a bit sci-fi, but it is apparently safe, convenient and efficient (no need to store lots of data like passwords, log-in numbers, IDs etc).
The vending machine uses the technology as a replacement for conventional e-money, whereby you “pay” by your finger, with your e-money or credit card set up for automatic deductions. Users also register their email and postal addresses, so that they can claim customized free samples and giveaways directly through the digital signage built into the unit.
William is an editor of JapanTrends.com and researcher for 
There was a Sci-Fi short story written in the mid-20th century where a bad guy committed crimes until caught, when *spoiler alert* it is discovered he is really a cop tasked with defeating modern technology to commit crimes.
One thing he did was pay his bills by slapping a hirez photo of someone else’s fingerprint on his own finger.. and swiping it across purchase scanners to buy things.
His finger was “warm”, the scan of the image matched.
Want to up the ante? Use 3d latex fingertip gloves made to match someone else’s fingerprints.
I’ll say this a thousand times if I have to – no matter what kind of fancy stuff surrounds the soda market, it will always be one of the unhealthiest things you can put into your body. Avoid it at all costs! I’m a holistic health counselor by trade, so I know what I’m talking about.
A Chicago-area grocery chain tried to introduce a finger-scan payment system at their checkouts. A few people tried it, but the overwhelming reaction from shoppers was that they did NOT want some unknown database in some unknown location scanning and storing their fingerprints.
Despite the speed and the ease, the specter of Big Brother and identity theft are a real deterrent to this kind of technology. That’s true even without the ‘James Bond’ methods of circumventing it.
kirksea you dont get it. The machine scans your vein not your fingerprint
so you cant use a pic of someo other persons fingerprint to buy things with.
Biometrics don’t require a database or that the machine vends soda or water. It is up to the Integrator/Mfr of the vending machine on how to implement it. For example, a vein “scan” could be stored on a smartcard or only on that vending machine/hard-drive…stand alone. The government probably doesn’t have a database of vein patterns (unlike with your SS#, Fingerprint, photo, and others)…and as bob said, it is vein pattern, and it seems like it would be pretty tough to fake a vein pattern of flowing blood (no fake fingers, can’t capture covertly, not “left behind” after touching objects)