By Felicity Ussher, 7 July 1999 16:44
NEWS Automated teller machine (ATM) maker, NCR, has demonstrated the first screenless cashpoint machine. The device, called the Stella ATM, is a pyramid-shaped terminal which identifies customers by the patterns on their irises, and addresses them by name. It avoids the need for a keypad and screen by recognising natural language commands, such as 'fast cash' and 'the usual', and registers customer presence with a pressure-sensitive footpad. Stella can download information directly into a personal digital assistant or mobile phone. But NCR officials at Stella's London unveiling yesterday made it clear that the device is still only at the development stage. A spokesman told Silicon.com: "The technology will appear in a variety of forms. Some customers may use it to offer pension updates that can be downloaded to a PalmPilot." NCR's iris recognition technology is currently under trial at five European banks, including the UK's Nationwide and Banco Ambrosiano Veneto of Italy. Future developments are expected to include customer relationship management agents, which 'learn' a user's spending patterns.
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