Latest news with #biometricTechnology
Zawya
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
President Museveni and the First Lady Renew their National Identity Cards
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the First Lady also Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni have this afternoon participated in the ongoing mass registration and renewal exercise of the National Identity cards at State Lodge, Nakasero. The project is being implemented by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and the renewal exercise was efficiently conducted by a team from the authority, led by the Executive Director, Ms. Rosemary Kisembo. The registration of citizens is regarded as a crucial component of national security, ensuring that every individual is accounted for within the nation's identity framework. Enhanced biometric technology associated with these ID cards provides a reliable and unalterable means of establishing identity. This initiative underscores the government's commitment to strengthening national identity systems and fostering socio-economic transformation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.
Hospitality Net
26-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Beyond Opulence: How Travel in 2040 Will Transform You
The year is 2040. A guest checks into their suite, not with a passport or a keycard, but with a retinal scan that triggers a pre-personalized welcome. The room adjusts its lighting, scent, temperature, and curated playlist in sync with their biometric data and circadian rhythm. Dinner, precisely tailored to their microbiome and mood, awaits in a regenerative dining garden grown on-site. Yet, amid all the ambient intelligence and technological wonder, it's a human, a softly spoken empathic host, who gently senses the guest's travel fatigue and offers a moment of genuine connection. Welcome to the future of luxury and lifestyle travel hospitality: where high-tech meets high-touch, and purpose, well-being, and human connection take centre stage. A Shift from Opulence to Meaning Luxury in 2040 is no longer defined by marble lobbies or private butlers, but by transformation, authenticity, and intention. The new elite traveller doesn't want to escape life, they want to expand it. They seek wellness not as an add-on, but as a central philosophy: from longevity programs and sleep optimization suites to epigenetic spa rituals and breathwork under the stars. Trips are designed by AI-powered concierges that understand not just where you want to go, but who you want to become. Predictive systems curate itineraries based on your energy levels, mental state, and aspirations. And yet, it's the human moments that matter most, because in a world increasingly driven by algorithms, connection becomes the ultimate luxury. Luxury in 2040 isn't about escape. It's about evolution. The Conscious Travel Revolution Gone are the days of shallow sustainability pledges. The future belongs to regenerative hospitality, hotels and resorts that give more than they take. Expect carbon-negative architecture, circular design, and community co-ownership models. Travelers will measure luxury by impact: How did my stay enrich the place I visited? Whose lives did it uplift? Cultural immersion evolves into cultural stewardship. Guests co-create experiences with local artisans and elders, participating in ceremonies, preservation efforts, and storytelling. This isn't curated tourism-it's co-authored humanity. The future of luxury is not where you go. It's how you're changed by the going. The Employees Who Make It All Matter Perhaps the most remarkable evolution is the role of the hospitality employee. In 2040, they are no longer invisible facilitators, they are the heartbeat of the experience. Today's luxury traveller doesn't just want service, they want soulful guidance. That's why brands are investing in multi-passionate talent: think neuroscientists-turned-wellness-guides, chefs who are also climate activists, or cultural historians who double as concierge storytellers. These individuals are not just employees - they are curators of meaning. They use technology to enhance, not replace, intuition. A wearable might signal a guest's elevated stress levels, but it's the host who offers a grounding conversation, a restorative tea ritual, or a spontaneous hike at golden hour. Emotional intelligence is the new six-star service. The luxury employee of 2040 is the heartbeat of the brand-emotionally intelligent, culturally fluent, and spiritually aware. Hospitality's Internal Revolution Luxury hospitality brands now understand that employee well-being is guest well-being. Burnout isn't tolerated, it's actively designed against. Staff work in regenerative cycles, enjoy wellness-focused environments, and are empowered through flat, human-cantered leadership models. The employee experience becomes the brand's litmus test. Those who foster dignity, growth, and ownership among their teams are the ones guests trust most. The best brands no longer compete on amenities, they compete on internal culture. Employees are no longer service providers, they're strategic partners in cultural delivery. Where We're Headed In this brave new world of luxury and lifestyle travel, the most coveted status symbol is not a jet or a villa, it's how consciously you travel, and how deeply you connect. It's a future where biometrics and blockchain enhance ease, augmented reality tells forgotten stories, and space hotels and underwater retreats redefine frontiers. But the true luxury lies not in the extraordinary destination, but in the extraordinary people who guide you through it, and the transformative path you take within. As we look to 2040, one thing is clear: the future of hospitality will not be defined by what we build, but by how we make people feel, and who we empower to lead those moments of meaning. Tomorrow's true luxury isn't a far-flung destination; it's the extraordinary people who guide you there and the transformation you carry home. Nicolas Frangos, Disruptive yet Pragmatic Tourism Travel Hospitality CEO
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Facial recognition at TSA: What to know before your next airport screening
The growing use of facial recognition technology at airport security checkpoints is making some travelers worry about their digital privacy. During the screening process at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints across 84 airports nationwide, air passengers will encounter the second-generation Credential Authentication Technology (CAT), according to the agency's website. The technology is expected to roll out to over 400 federalized airports. This biometric technology, in which a traveler's photo is taken while the officer scans their ID, is meant to streamline the process of verifying that you match your documents, flight status and vetting status. It also assesses digital IDs, if a traveler has one. What travelers should know: Do I have to give border control my phone? "This latest technology helps ensure that we know who is boarding flights," said TSA's Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania and Delaware Gerardo Spero in a news release last month. "Credential authentication plays an important role in passenger identity verification. It improves a TSA officer's ability to validate a traveler's photo identification while also identifying any inconsistencies associated with fraudulent travel documents." However, there are rising concerns around the safety of biometric information storage, stemming from the lack of transparency around the database where the information is being stored. "It's not about the integrity of your face or driver's license, it's about the database where you have no control," said India McKinney, director of federal affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. There's the risk of misidentification, security breaches, plus human or technological error. The screening process also varies at different airports and even terminals, putting the burden on the traveler. "We are aware of a variety of public concerns related to the accuracy of facial recognition and other biometric technologies and take those concerns seriously," the agency told USA TODAY in an email statement. Here's what travelers should know about TSA's facial recognition technology. According to the TSA, your information is generally deleted shortly after you pass the screening process and is not used for surveillance purposes. If you opted into the TSA PreCheck Touchless Identity Solution, your information will be deleted 24 hours after your flight's scheduled departure time. "TSA is committed to protecting passenger privacy," an agency spokesperson said. "Under normal operating conditions TSA facial recognition technology deletes traveler data and images immediately after your identity is verified." However, the agency added that the TSA will temporarily keep photos and data "in rare instances" to test the accuracy of the biometric technology. If this is going to happen, the agency will notify passengers with signs, and it's only for a limited time. Travelers can decline without losing their place in line. The agency said it secures all personal data and images, and adheres to DHS and TSA cybersecurity requirements. Nevertheless, all systems, including facial recognition technology, are susceptible to being compromised. "No cyber system is 100% secure, even if the images aren't used for a long period of time," said Vahid Behzadan, assistant professor in computer science and data science at the University of New Haven. "The fact that they're being imposed on a large group of travelers presents a vulnerability ... if an adversary manages to compromise the end points, then the adversary has access to all the facial images and details, assuming the IDs are also scanned." Yes, you can opt out of facial recognition technology and receive an alternative ID credential check from the officer instead. "There is no issue and no delay with a traveler exercising their rights to not participate in the automated biometrics matching technology," TSA states on its website. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TSA facial recognition: What happens to your data after screening?
