Wearable Electronics
band corresponds with the operator’s specifi c biometric data,” adds Shu.
Streamlining connectivity Semiconductor fabs often consist of hundreds of systems and applications that require proper user identifi cation to access and use. Traditionally, the burden of providing and managing separate identifi cation credentials has fallen on the employee, which has resulted in increased stress and decreased productivity. The wafer fabrication process in semiconductor manufacturing takes place in an ultraclean environment where high- precision equipment is used, necessitating strict trackability and traceability. Deskless operators in these facilities move between multiple machines, systems, and terminals throughout their shifts. Depending on the task, they may use devices such as desktop computers, tablets, or human-machine interfaces (HMIs). This frequent movement, coupled with the need to switch between various systems, makes conventional authentication methods like password entry or USB keys inconvenient, prone to errors, and ineffi cient. Additionally, the use of PPE garments
designed to minimise contamination from the operator further complicates traditional authentication processes like typing passwords or using hardware tokens.
The increased adoption of the Nymi Band at semiconductor fabs, however, is now enabling identity to be authenticated once per person while allowing the platform to facilitate connections to the required systems. Employees no longer assume the burden of manually authenticating their identity at each access point.
The biometric wristband works in conjunction with the Nymi Connected Worker Platform, which creates an intermediary layer between employees and their employer’s complicated IT infrastructure. The Platform establishes the biometric security and privacy of its users and allows them to inter-operate between disparate technologies. Employees authenticate to their Nymi Band as little as once per day through their fi ngerprint, which takes less than a second. The device’s on-body detection capability enables an assigned employee to use it continually throughout all of their integrated applications. Employees simply take off their Nymi Band to deactivate and disconnect from
their workplace, according to the OEM’s solutions brief.
To enhance security, the Nymi Band is authenticated via fi ngerprint and verifi ed against a mathematical template created at enrolment. Biometric images are never stored, and templates are secured locally in the band.
Employees can use their wearable band
to effi ciently gain hands-free access to terminals, email, applications, doors, and lifts throughout a facility, as required for their offi cial duties. Access can be custom set according to the user’s role, to protect sensitive information and areas. Paul Shu of ARISTA Corporation notes that biometric wearables pair with short- range wireless Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to expedite identifi cation, authorised access, and communication. This is the case, for example, with ARISTA’s mobile workstations, which are now available with an optional NFC reader that can be used throughout semiconductor fabs with biometric wearables and other forms of identifi cation. NFC readers and related technologies are widely employed across industries for tasks such as asset
management, inventory control, equipment monitoring, and enhancing security. While other mobile workstations must be plugged into the wall to function, ARISTA’s Mobile Operator Workstation can move from place to place while in operation free of wires due to its powerful lithium-ion battery. Wi-Fi capability is built into the workstation to allow for uninterrupted wireless communication in all corners of the cleanroom and fab. In addition, most advanced semiconductor fabs today have Wi-Fi-based system backbones connected to legacy subsystems, meaning the workstation can communicate directly with the fab’s server.
“Biometric ID wearables like Nymi Bands are much more secure than any other NFC device, so are ideal for logging into a wide range of devices at semiconductor fabs. When used with equipment such as mobile workstations, the combination can further promote productivity, allowing the work to occur where needed. The technology provides greater security, convenience, and effi ciency, so we expect its use to grow in the industry and beyond,” concludes Shu.
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July/August 2025 55
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