HID Global has launched its HID Amico™ biometric facial recognition readers in North America, enhancing secure and efficient access control across diverse organizational settings. This new availability of Amico widens HID's biometric solutions, catering to various deployment needs and budget constraints, thereby making advanced facial recognition technology more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Facial biometrics, traditionally linked with high-security environments, are now gaining popularity for everyday access applications due to improvements in edge processing, artificial intelligence, and sensor technology. These advancements make the technology more feasible and cost-effective, providing small and medium-sized businesses with an opportunity to boost security while improving user experience. Biometric authentication safeguards against risks associated with lost or forgotten credentials, thus securing essential assets.
Versatile Access Control Solutions
The HID Amico, designed specifically for physical access control, offers rapid and precise facial recognition. It is available in adaptable 3.5-inch and 7-inch touchscreen versions, allowing organizations to enhance access systems without overhauling existing credential infrastructure. "Organizations no longer have to choose between stronger security and a seamless user experience," stated Sally Reitan, Director of Product Marketing, PACS NAM at HID. With the flexibility offered by Amico, organizations can transition to biometric access smoothly while continuing to use existing identity verification methods like cards, mobile credentials, PINs, and QR codes.
Aimed at environments such as offices, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and commercial buildings, the HID Amico facilitates seamless movement for authorized personnel, ensuring quicker access and strengthen identity verification at points of entry. The system supports five authentication methods: facial recognition, physical credentials, PIN, QR code, and HID® Mobile Access®, providing a scalable solution as credential strategies evolve.
Comprehensive Building Experience
The 7-inch model further enhances its utility by supporting advanced on-screen interactions
With features such as fast and accurate facial recognition, the HID Amico reduces queuing times at busy entry points. It offers flexible authentication options and prioritizes privacy with its Template-on-Card feature, securely storing biometric data directly on user credentials rather than a central database. Two configurations are available: a compact 3.5-inch model and a larger 7-inch version, both offering widespread application for various access control needs.
The 7-inch model further enhances its utility by supporting advanced on-screen interactions, such as visitor navigation, organizational announcements, and branded experiences, turning entry points into smart building touchpoints.
Instead of replacing existing systems, HID Amico complements existing access control solutions by integrating seamlessly with physical cards and multi-factor authentication processes. Organizations can opt to begin biometrics implementation with select entry points and expand as necessary. HID Amico is currently available across North America through authorized HID partners.
HID, a global pioneer in trusted identity solutions, announces the North American availability of its HID Amico™ biometric facial recognition readers, making fast, secure and friction-free biometric access practical for a much broader range of organizations. Amico expands HID's biometric portfolio across a wider spectrum of use cases, deployment sizes and price points, bringing facial recognition within reach for small and medium-sized businesses.
Long associated with high-security government facilities and critical infrastructure, facial biometrics are becoming increasingly attractive for everyday access control. Advances in edge processing, artificial intelligence and sensor technology have significantly improved performance while reducing deployment complexity and cost, making the technology accessible to small and medium-sized businesses seeking stronger security and a better user experience. Easy-to-use, hard-to-cheat biometric authentication reduces the risk that comes with lost credentials and forgotten passwords, helping these organizations protect what matters most.
Existing credential strategies
Purpose-built for physical access control, HID Amico brings fast, accurate facial recognition to the door. Available in both 3.5-inch and 7-inch touchscreen models, it combines multiple options to help organizations modernise access control without disrupting existing credential strategies.
"Organizations no longer have to choose between stronger security and a seamless user experience," said Sally Reitan, Director of Product Marketing, PACS NAM at HID. "Facial biometrics have reached a point where they're practical for a much wider range of organizations. HID Amico gives customers an affordable way to deploy friction-free access while maintaining the flexibility to support cards, mobile credentials, PINs and QR codes as their identity strategies evolve, so they can adopt biometrics on their own terms."
Stronger identity verification
Designed for offices, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, commercial buildings and other busy environments, HID Amico secures entrances by letting authorized users move through the door naturally without stopping to present a credential. The result is faster throughput, improved convenience and stronger identity verification at the point of entry.
HID Amico offers five authentication methods including facial recognition, physical credentials, PIN, QR code and HID® Mobile Access®, allowing organizations to adopt biometrics at their own pace while supporting mixed credential environments.
Building experience applications
Additional benefits include:
- Fast, accurate facial recognition for seamless access and reduced wait times at busy entrances.
- Flexible authentication supporting face, card, PIN, QR code and mobile credentials.
- Privacy-first architecture, including optional Template-on-Card technology that stores biometric templates securely on the user's credential rather than in a centralized database.
- Two deployment options, with compact 3.5-inch and larger 7-inch touchscreen models supporting a broad range of access control and building experience applications.
Intelligent building touchpoints
The larger 7-inch model extends the reader beyond authentication by supporting richer on-screen interactions such as visitor guidance, organizational messaging and branded user experiences, allowing organizations to transform access points into intelligent building touchpoints.
Rather than replacing existing access control investments, HID Amico complements broader identity strategies by working alongside physical cards, mobile credentials and multi-factor authentication workflows. Organizations can begin with selected entrances and expand biometric authentication as operational requirements evolve. HID Amico is now available throughout North America through authorized HID partners.
