How a Sports Venue Went Fully Hands-Free with Palm Recognition
Palm recognition is an AI-powered contactless identity technology that combines palm print and palm vein patterns for secure verification. The National Olympic Sports Center in Beijing partnered with Tencent PalmAI to launch the world's first "One Palm Pass" for a sports complex — enabling venue entry, facility check-in, smart locker access, and in-venue purchases, all with a single palm wave.
At a Glance
| Dimension | Detail |
|---|---|
| Client | National Olympic Sports Center (国家奥林匹克体育中心) |
| Industry | Sports & Recreation |
| Region | Beijing, China |
| Challenge | Sports venue visitors carry phones and cards while exercising — creating friction, hygiene concerns, and locker security issues |
| Solution | Tencent PalmAI KYCMax — "One Palm Pass" covering entry, check-in, lockers, and payment |
| Key Result | World's first smart sports venue with end-to-end palm recognition across all touchpoints |
| Scope | Venue entry gates, facility check-in terminals, smart lockers, in-venue payment |
Why Carrying Phones and Cards Creates Friction in Sports Venues
The National Olympic Sports Center, one of China's premier sports complexes built for the 1990 Asian Games, serves thousands of daily visitors including swimmers, gym-goers, and recreational athletes. The Center's swimming hall, in particular, faces a unique challenge: visitors must manage their phones, cards, and locker keys while moving between wet and dry zones.
Before PalmAI:
| Pain point | Business impact |
|---|---|
| Visitors carry phones/cards while exercising | Risk of water damage, theft, inconvenience in wet zones |
| Physical locker keys and cards get lost | Staff time spent on replacements; customer complaints |
| Separate credentials for entry, lockers, and purchases | Fragmented experience; long queues at each touchpoint |
| Card-based or QR systems require device interaction | Slow entry during peak hours; hygiene concerns post-pandemic |
For a sports venue where users are in swimwear, gym clothes, or carrying equipment, the ideal solution eliminates all physical credentials entirely — letting athletes go completely hands-free.
→ Explore PalmAI's hospitality and venue solutions
Why Palm Recognition Fits Sports Venues Better Than Alternatives
The National Olympic Sports Center evaluated several access and identity solutions before selecting palm recognition for its "One Palm Pass" system.
Palm Recognition vs Alternatives for Sports Venue Access
| Criterion | Physical Card/Key | QR Code (Phone) | Face Recognition | Palm Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wet environment | Cards damaged by water; keys lost in lockers | Phone can't be used in water/shower areas | Affected by steam, water droplets on camera | Unaffected — palm works in all conditions |
| Hands-free operation | Must carry card/key at all times | Requires phone in hand | Hands-free but privacy concerns | Hands-free with a quick palm hover |
| Hygiene | Shared cards/keys = contamination risk | Phone screen touches | No contact but surveillance perception | Contactless — no surface touch |
| Multi-scenario | Different cards for entry vs locker vs payment | App requires multiple screens/actions | Single face works but privacy friction | Single palm enrollment covers all |
| Children/elderly friendly | Children lose cards easily | Elderly may struggle with apps | Works but raises consent concerns for minors | Natural gesture, no tech literacy needed |
Where palm recognition needs consideration: Visitors under age 8 (developing palm vein patterns) may need a guardian-linked enrollment or alternative backup. The Center maintains card-based fallback for these cases.
One Palm, Four Scenarios: Entry to Payment Without Touching a Screen
Tencent PalmAI's KYCMax platform powers the National Olympic Sports Center's integrated "One Palm Pass" system, connecting identity verification across every visitor touchpoint.
Technical implementation:
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Biometric modality | Palm print + palm vein (dual-modal) |
| Solution tier | PalmAI KYCMax — multi-scenario identity management |
| Recognition speed | <1 second per verification |
| Security | Accuracy 99.9%, enterprise-grade encryption |
| Deployment | Cloud-connected, multi-terminal synchronized |
| Age range | 8–100 years |
Four integrated scenarios:
1. Venue Entry
Visitors register their palm once at the front desk. At every subsequent visit, they walk up to the entry turnstile and wave their palm — the gate opens in under 1 second. No ticket, card, or phone needed.
2. Facility Check-In
At swimming halls, gyms, and courts, each facility has a palm terminal for session check-in. The system automatically verifies the visitor's access rights and logs their session — replacing manual card scans.
3. Smart Locker Access
Lockers are assigned and unlocked via palm scan. Visitors store their belongings before swimming or exercising, and retrieve them afterward — no key, no code, no card to carry into wet zones.
4. In-Venue Payment
Cafeteria, vending machines, and retail shops within the complex accept palm payment. Visitors buy water, meals, or equipment rentals without needing their wallet or phone — ideal when in swimwear or workout gear.
From Four Credentials to One Palm: Streamlining the Visitor Journey
| Metric | Before | After | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credentials needed per visit | 3–4 (entry card + locker key + payment method + facility card) | 1 (palm) | Single unified identity |
| Entry speed at turnstile | 5–8s (card scan + validation) | <1s (palm wave) | ~85% faster entry |
| Lost locker key incidents | Regular occurrence (staff replacement needed) | Eliminated — palm is the key | Zero lost keys |
| Payment friction in wet zones | Impossible without phone/card | Palm wave at any terminal | True hands-free payment |
| Visitor experience rating | Fragmented — multiple systems | Seamless — one gesture everywhere | Unified smart experience |
"The 'One Palm Pass' lets our visitors truly enjoy their sports experience without worrying about carrying phones, cards, or keys. They walk in, exercise, eat, and leave — all with just their palm." — National Olympic Sports Center, Operations Team
What Venue Operators Should Consider Before Deploying Palm Recognition
Before implementing a multi-scenario palm system across a sports or entertainment venue, operators should evaluate:
- Registration flow design — first-time enrollment should take under 30 seconds and happen naturally at the front desk or a self-service kiosk, not as a separate step
- Wet/extreme environment testing — verify that palm devices perform reliably near pools, saunas, and outdoor courts in varying humidity and lighting
- Fallback access — maintain card-based backup for visitors who cannot or choose not to enroll (children under 8, temporary guests)
- Privacy signage — clearly communicate at enrollment that palm data is stored as encrypted templates, not images, and explain data retention policies
- Multi-terminal synchronization — ensure that a single enrollment propagates instantly to all entry, locker, and payment terminals to avoid "enrolled but not recognized at locker" issues
What's Next for Smart Sports Venues and PalmAI
As more sports complexes and recreation centers seek to deliver frictionless visitor experiences, the National Olympic Sports Center's "One Palm Pass" model demonstrates how palm recognition can unify every touchpoint in a venue — from entrance to exit. The future: athletes arrive, exercise, consume, and depart without ever reaching for a device.
→ Ready to bring palm recognition to your venue? Explore contactless access and payment for sports and recreation facilities using the contact form on this page.
FAQ
How does palm recognition work for sports venue entry and payment?
Palm recognition at the National Olympic Sports Center uses Tencent PalmAI's dual-modal technology — combining palm print and palm vein patterns — to verify visitor identity in under 1 second. Visitors register their palm once at the front desk, linking it to their membership and payment account. After enrollment, every interaction (entry gates, lockers, facility check-in, purchases) is completed by hovering the palm over a PalmAI terminal — no phone, card, or key required.
Is palm recognition safe and hygienic for use near swimming pools and wet areas?
Palm recognition is fully contactless — the user hovers their hand 3–5 cm above the device without touching any surface. Unlike fingerprint scanners or shared card readers, there is no physical contact and therefore no hygiene concern in wet or high-traffic environments. The PalmAI device is designed to operate reliably in varying humidity and lighting conditions found in sports venues.
How long does it take to deploy PalmAI across a multi-scenario sports complex?
Deployment complexity depends on the number of touchpoints (entry gates, lockers, facility terminals, payment stations) and existing infrastructure. Tencent PalmAI's KYCMax platform supports cloud-connected multi-terminal deployment where a single enrollment propagates across all devices instantly. The National Olympic Sports Center's implementation covers entry, check-in, locker access, and payment — all sharing one unified palm identity.
Can visitors under 18 or elderly users enroll their palm?
PalmAI supports users aged 8 to 100. Children aged 8 and above can enroll independently with guardian consent. Elderly users find palm scanning intuitive — it requires no tech literacy, no app, and no remembering codes. For children under 8 whose palm vein patterns may not be fully developed, the venue maintains card-based backup access.
What happens if a visitor forgets to bring their phone — can they still access lockers?
That is precisely the advantage: palm recognition eliminates phone dependency entirely. The visitor's palm IS the credential for locker access, entry, and payment. There is nothing to forget, lose, or charge. Even if a visitor arrives with no phone, no wallet, and no card, they can complete their entire visit using only their enrolled palm.
Related Success Stories
Other PalmAI access and venue deployments worth comparing:
- CapitaLand pilots palm recognition office access in Singapore — on-premise palm access for office tenants (gates + elevators)
- How palm scan solves dead phones and masks in Beijing Daxing Metro — comparable high-throughput public-venue palm access in China
- Bupa HK launches Hong Kong's first palm-based express check-in — palm-based check-in across a clinic network
→ Browse all PalmAI success stories
About Tencent PalmAI
Tencent PalmAI is an AI-powered palm recognition service that combines palm print and palm vein dual-modal identification. Developed by Tencent's YouTu Lab and AI Lab — with 20+ top conference publications, 90+ granted patents, and 400+ pending — PalmAI powers contactless identity verification, payment, and access control for enterprises across retail, finance, healthcare, and smart building sectors worldwide. The National Olympic Sports Center deployment showcases how palm recognition transforms sports and recreation venues into fully hands-free environments where visitors enjoy seamless access and services from entry to exit.
