Georgia Southern University is expanding the use of iris biometric access to include the campus' state-of-the-art Recreation Activity Center. The expansion will deploy an integrated access solution so only members can enter the facility.

Core to the deployment is security entrance and architectural access manufacturer, Boon Edam Inc., who will install its Trilock 60 tripod turnstile. The turnstile is integrated with the Iris ID IrisAccess solution -- a system that is also in use at Georgia Southern's campus dining halls.

The RAC at Georgia Southern is regarded as the center of campus life, and serves some 5,000 students each day. The recently renovated rec center will now control access to its facilities with Boon Edam waist-high turnstiles and gates.

Georgia Southern first deployed the Iris ID IrisAccess solution in 2014 with the aid of identification solutions provider, ColorID, and paired the biometric system with tripod turnstiles at two campus dining halls. That project saw significant adoption and success, and was the inspiration behind rec center facility managers investigating the use of Iris ID with the facility's current access control software.

“With each passing year, the size of the database would grow, leading to an increase in the time it would take to verify each member. The process slowed, taking five to 12 seconds to grant access, causing unwanted delays for our users,” says Jason Schmidt, facility coordinator at Georgia Southern's RAC. “When students used the iris scanners in the dining halls, it took no more than two seconds to process their entry. Once we realized that Iris ID was the superior method for access control, we decided to upgrade our system to better meet the needs of our members.”

Georgia Southern's rec center has been outfitted with its own enrollment device, saving students time and making it more convenient for them to get set up with the iris system. Students and authorized visitors have the choice of two different access points: they can either scan their iris at the iCAM7000S Series reader mounted on the turnstile, or swipe their ID card at the main desk and proceed through a gate.

“The arrangement of a turnstile paired with the iris scanner technology is extremely fast and we’re encouraging our members to use it,” adds Schmidt. “Once they purchase a membership and are entered into our database, the system grants them access to the facility and it is pretty seamless.”

ColorID has a long-standing relationship with Georgia Southern for their existing biometric access system. "This new initiative is an good expansion of what Georgia Southern has already been utilizing in their dining hall," says Mark Degan, Corporate Marketing Manager at ColorID. "Despite the rec center implementation being ever so slightly different, the ease of use for enrollment and access remains unchanged from the university's successful dining hall deployment."

The speed of throughput with the iris solution has made it a good fit for a number of campus environments, and the expansion at Georgia Southern was a logical progression.

"Once you get used to it, it just makes sense to roll it out to other areas. Iris can get you through the turnstile quickly and efficiently," says Degan. "This can be vital for high-traffic environments like dining halls and rec centers, where it's common for a lot of students to all arrive at once. Iris ID's IrisAccess system has proven just how effective it can be at managing that throughput."

Georgia Southern's RAC has plans for a renovation in the near future that will implement a total of four turnstiles integrated with the Iris ID IrisAccess solution.

“We are always concerned with who is coming in and prefer to have as many turnstiles as possible to automate the process and reduce the burden on our staff," says Schmidt. "Everyone who is registered for the iris scanner likes it; we’re looking forward to the next stage when we can have multiple entrance lanes, bringing everything up to speed."