Visual Verification Linked to Location

The Visual Verification Linked to Location (VVLL) project is aimed at providing new and simpler methods for providing authentication services for consumers who have traditionally been digitally excluded. The project will work in collaboration with Registered Social Landlords to provide two form factor authentication for users of digital inclusion services within social housing. The digitally excluded represent an important section of our society and the VVLL project will specifically develop easy to use, yet secure authentication for consumers who have not traditionally engaged in digital commerce. The project will examine the use of simple image validation by the user via a touch-screen linked to geo-tagged data about the consumer.
In phase 1 of the project the VVLL techniques will be evaluated in providing basic access to services which are currently being provided to groups of digitally excluded tenants and will be used to validated the accumulation of credits by the consumer which are the basis for how the digital inclusion “managed service” is provided. In this phase the authentication will be presented to the user via the mobile device (tablet/smartphone) and will be validated using services hosted within a secure cloud computing environment at the AIMES Kilby House Data Centre. The second phase of the project will then utilise the VVLL technology to provide access to payment services including the ad hoc payments which need to be made to the landlord for property repairs and maintenance.
AIMES has led a number of successful TSB-funded projects in the area of digital inclusion and has an existing community of users across Merseyside with whom the VVLL project can be trialled. Importantly AIMES has worked with the digitally excluded since 2005 and has developed a number of engagement methodologies and partners to ensure that innovative developments are driven by the user and strike the correct balance between effectiveness and usability. AIMES also hosts a number of digital media and geo-fencing platforms in secure ISO 27001 data centre facilities at Liverpool Innovation Park and in partnership with one specific platform provider MiMovi and a network access partner, BT Openreach the VVLL project will deliver an initial proof-of-concept which will be validated with end users.