Rutgers University is controlling access to expensive research equipment in its Material Science and Engineering research laboratories by using biometrics.

Zvetco Biometrics, a network security solution provider and fingerprint authentication hardware maker, announced the deployment of the integrated Biometric Subscription Control System on Tuesday. The system is engineered by Computer Consultants & Merchants Inc., an information systems solutions provider. It uses the Trusted Space biometric software suite to leverage Zvetco's Verifi line of fingerprint readers.

Ronen Yacobi, director of Marketing & Business Development for Zvetco said Rutgers' decision to tap biometrics is the next step toward mass adoption of biometrics in education. In a statement released Tuesday, he said he expects to see the technology used to authenticate distance learning students, to track activities, to monitor online privileges and to ensure identity for online exams.

Rutgers will use biometrics to track, report, and archive the length of time people use equipment. That information will help the university charge for some of the machines, like X-ray diffraction equipment, said Rutgers Material Science and Engineering Department Professor W. Roger Canon. Until now, the lab has relied on sign-in sheets.