Technology

Posted on January 22, 2019 by staff

Biometrics developer aims to be Northern Ireland’s first unicorn

Technology

A Belfast-based biometrics company has announced its plans to be Northern Ireland’s first $1 billion company.

B-Secur will next month move into a larger premises at the Catalyst Inc. business hub and plans to recruit 10 more people in 2019.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, B-Secur’s chief executive Alan Foreman said that the company will open a San Francisco base this year and wants the firm to become a company valued at over $1bn.

The company has attracted interest from global car manufacturers for its pioneering heart monitoring technology.

The company unveiled its new product, Heartkey, at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019. The product uses heart-monitoring, rather than iris or fingerprint technology, to identify the unique heartbeat of a user and positively identify them.

“By simply touching your steering wheel, or through the watch or T-shirt you are wearing, we can see in real time and detect how well you are,” Foreman told the Telegraph.

“That has huge implications for the NHS, and for drivers.”