Q1- Pleasure Having You on Board. Your Journey as CEO and About ZKTeco
It has been an incredible journey for me with ZKTeco as a Biometric and Security Solution provider. ZKTeco has gone through several milestones in the past few decades, and we have developed some of the world's leading breakthrough technologies in the biometric and security products segment. It all started when the founding members of ZKTeco introduced its in-house developed fingerprint algorithm into the market. After its great success, ZKTeco initiated its exploration in biometric verification technology and released various fingerprint-based biometric systems, facial algorithms, and access control devices. After years of research in biometric verification, ZKTeco was officially established and became functional in the overseas market, and launched various innovative products and technologies that revolutionized the biometric industry and paved the way for the next generation biometric verification and access control technology. Over time, ZKTeco grew exponentially and established various branches in different countries across the globe and ever since ZKTeco has been one of the globally leading industries in biometric verification technology.

Furthermore, ZKTeco has various R&D, design and innovation centers with sales channels and service networks being widely distributed in different countries across the world. Our products and solutions represent the upper end of the technology spectrum in both biometric and security product lines forefronting the industry with an array of new capabilities and stunning features. We focus on various sectors ranging from Finance, Education, Government, Manufacturing, Public Facility, Healthcare, etc. To meet the requirements of these different verticals, ZKTeco has extensively diversified its product segments into Time Attendance, Access Control, Smart Locks, POS, Entrance Control, Security Inspection, Visible Light Products, and Video Surveillance as well as Mask & Temperature Detection Devices.

Besides, we offer software solutions as well, for instance, Intelligent Time, easy TimePro, easy WDMS, and ZKBioSecuirty to name a few. ZKTeco products and solutions are based on system progressiveness and technology integration offering numerous advantages over conventional products and solutions.

Q2- What are the Important Tasks Planned in the Coming Stages in Line with the Technology Changes Specific for the Parking Solutions? Advancement of the Product?
With rapid progress in digital transformation, Parking Management and Parking Systems have witnessed tremendous technological advancements and numerous changes. Integrated Parking Management coupled with high-performance sensors offer efficient vehicle management, there has been an increasing number of parking lots and vehicle management areas beginning to use License Plate Recognition (LPR) products and Ultra-high Frequency (UHF) products. The automatic license plate identification enables fast vehicle access to parking, which provides a convenient user experience.

ZKTeco's Smart Parking Solution provides efficient and flexible management of vehicles as well as parking space. The solution is suitable for all types of parking spaces and it is equipped with system alerts for exceeding parking duration, abnormal vehicle entry, etc. The system greatly eliminates manual monitoring and tracking of vehicles by digitizing parking space management with end-to-end services including automation of processes related to parking, vehicle access, visitors, payments, etc.

Q3- Where in India do you See Opportunity for Growth in the Current Challenging Market?
The Covid-19 pandemic has raised many safety concerns among people as well as business organizations and commercial shops. People are reluctant to move around in places such as commercial buildings, supermarkets, stations, restaurants, and more. Even though many places in India have adopted methods such as IR thermometer scanning and thermal imaging cameras for temperature measurement of visitors, they still experience major limitations including, ill-suited measurement distance, inaccuracy of the temperature detected, a requirement of the workforce for continuous monitoring, and more. Hence, there is a huge market demand for technologies and systems that help perform security screening of people in a way that is both safe and efficient. ZKTeco has been closely observing the issue and has carried out considerable efforts in providing solutions that would address the safety and hygienic concerns associated with the outbreak. We offer solutions that provide a nice user experience with much accurate and fast temperature measurements together, with biometric authentication and masked face detection.

Q4- Can you Tell us Something Unique About Your Latest Products that not Many People know which can be Very Helpful in the Present Scenario of Pandemic?
The ongoing pandemic situation has raised many hygienic concerns as well as the necessity of safety precautions and preventive measures that need to be employed. ZKTeco has been monitoring the health crisis over the past several weeks. The health and well-being of customers, employees, and communities is our top priority. At ZKTeco we are immersed in a technological transformation, to generate innovation and sustainability betting on agile working, focused on performance and outcomes. This approach allows us to react effectively given the current situation, placing special emphasis on products that would help abate the spread of infectious germs.

With respect to this, ZKTeco has initiated a new product line to tackle the ongoing health crisis with Touchless Biometric Security Solutions by promoting public safety and hygiene through contactless user-identification coupled with Body Temperature Detection and Masked-Facial Recognition, thereby reducing the possibilities of acquiring germs in workplaces as well as in public areas. The product line includes Time Attendance & Access Control Terminals with Infrared and Thermal Imaging Sensors, Smart Entrance Control Solutions with Mask & Temperature Detection as well as Walk-Through Metal Detector with Temperature Screening Technology.

Furthermore, we also provide software solutions such as Intelligent Time, easy TimePro and ZKBioSecurity enforced with Mask and Temperature Detection Modules that monitor and keep a record of temperature and mask-wearing profiles of users to help identify potential risks in the workplace environment.

Q5- What do you See as the Next Big Thing in Technology of Biometrics in the Industry?
Biometric solution providers from all around the world are striving in a new technological transformation to help the world restore its functions through touch-free operations. The fact that most of the business activities are hindered at a global level did not stop biometric industries from developing solutions that would help mankind adapt to the new changes in the socio-economic environment caused by various effects of the recent outbreak.

Biometric driven solutions could be the key to resume socio-economic activities during as well after containment of the health crisis. The transformation that we are going through is at a global level. All industries, business organizations as well as public sectors will witness a dramatic shift in a way that will accelerate new technological trends. The shift in trends can be witnessed in several areas, ranging from access control, time attendance systems to security systems represent a significant change in the way they are performed.

Q6- We're Just at the Completion of the Year 2020. How has this year been, And what can we Expect from you in the Future? And what Other Verticals do you also See that Demand Coming From?
Mankind has never faced such devastating ramifications since the last century. The Coronavirus has taken a toll on humanity. Many have encountered and endured suffering to an unimaginable proportion. However, this is not the time to lose our hopes. We must prevail and we will get through this global crisis by following adequate safety precautions as well as by adopting preventive biometric and security solutions that incorporate Mask and Temperature Detection functions thereby defending ourselves and our surrounding environment against the virus.

That being said, we will continue providing products and solutions that will address the current security challenges as well as create a competitive edge for future requirements.

Also, the demand for Integrated Solutions will grow even further in the upcoming days in both Biometric and Security Industry fueling the technological transformation in various sectors including Aviation and Airport Security, National Infrastructure Facilities such as Smart Cities, Real Estate Industry, IT Sector, Public Safety, and Security as well as BFSI sectors.

Q7- Given Your Knowledge of National and International Industry Requirements, What would you say is the Biggest Change to Hit the Industry During Pandemic?
We are living in a world where most of the operations are performed via some kind of physical contact. In our day to day life, the tools we are using or the technology we have adopted in the outside world requires touching. However, this is no longer an issue that can be taken lightly especially post Covid-19. Many of us are already practicing social distancing, wearing masks and gloves at commercial shops, and wiping down objects that we consider to be contaminated with germs by using disinfectants. Physical contact or proximity is no longer acceptable in the current situation or even after that.

This is where biometrics comes into the picture, which can open the way to a future that is both safe and functional. Biometrics has the potential to transform a technology touchless regardless of the field. Biometrics, including facial and palm recognition as well as other methods, can not only provide secure authentication but also allows functions that are enabled by touch to be fully hands-free.

Q8- How do you See this Evolving Over the Coming Three to Five Years?
With the latest advancements in biometrics, we can create contactless systems that are auto-functional with certain human interactions such as hand gestures, facial recognition, voice command, etc. Hence, the technologies that we have seen in some of the Sci-Fi movies are not very far ahead.

Touchless Systems are intended to provide a safe and hygienic user-environment as well as are user-friendly and convenient to handle. In the new world of reduced physical contact, Biometrics can pave the way to enhance public safety along with helping to maintain business continuity and restore the economy. Touchless Biometrics will play a huge part in this digital transformation.

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www.zkteco.com