Most firms are gearing up for the introduction of biometric security devices, according to new research.

Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of companies surveyed by Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) said they expected workplace iris scanning and fingerprint recognition technology to be used sometime in the future, with 44 per cent expecting to see it used within two years.

However, opinion is divided on the ethical use of biometric security in the workplace. Some 46 per cent of the survey's respondents anticipated some staff or customer resistance to the technology.

"Attitudes towards biometrics are rapidly improving as the technology becomes more common and people recognise the growing security benefits," said Tony Reid, director of storage solutions at HDS, in a statement.

But only 28 per cent of respondents thought that workplace biometric security would lead to a Big Brother-style abuse of privacy, either by companies or government agencies.

"One of the biggest hurdles to faster adoption of biometrics is ensuring data is stored securely and efficiently, while also ensuring that the system can carry on functioning properly in the event of any part of the IT network going down," added Reid.

The HDS survey was based on 840 interviews with corporate IT directors in 21 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.