FaceTec and Project Lifesaver Add Biometric UR Codes to Locator Bracelets

Nationwide credential addition announced in Orlando

FaceTec announced on August 26 that it has partnered with Project Lifesaver International to place FaceTec UR Codes on locator bracelets used by people at risk of wandering or elopement. The announcement said additional labels carrying the codes may be attached to clothing, shoes and other personal items. According to FaceTec, a smartphone scan can provide encoded identity information and designated contact information for a local law-enforcement agency or other assigned responder, while supporting a biometric comparison to the person found. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/project-lifesaver-partners-with-facetec-to-identify-at-risk-children-and-adults-302860874.html))

The reported announcement coincided with Project Lifesaver’s 2026 conference, held August 24–27 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Florida. Project Lifesaver’s official site identifies the organization as an international public-safety search-and-rescue program for people prone to wandering or elopement because of autism, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other cognitive conditions. ([projectlifesaver.org](https://projectlifesaver.org/?utm_source=openai))

An identification layer alongside RF locating

The new code is an identity-assurance addition to, rather than a replacement for, Project Lifesaver’s established operational model. Project Lifesaver says enrolled participants wear a wrist or ankle transmitter that emits an individualized radio signal. When a participant is reported missing, a trained local emergency team uses equipment tuned to that signal to locate the individual. ([projectlifesaver.org](https://projectlifesaver.org/about-us/?utm_source=openai))

That distinction is material for public-safety agencies and integrators. Radio-frequency direction finding supports the search phase, while a scannable credential is designed to support the identification and contact phase once an individual or an associated item is encountered. The latter could be useful when an individual is located by a member of the public before a specialist search team arrives, but it does not change the need for local response protocols and trained personnel.

What FaceTec says is in a UR Code

FaceTec describes UR Codes as camera-scannable, two-dimensional barcodes that can contain signed biometric data and identity-related information. Its technical material says the code can hold a non-human-viewable face-feature vector, a digital signature and a limited amount of personally identifiable information; the company also says fields can be stored as plain text, partially encrypted or fully encrypted. ([facetec.com](https://facetec.com/Intro_to_UR_Codes.pdf))

For issuing organizations, the security model depends on the credential lifecycle, not just the printed symbol. FaceTec’s prior UR Encoder release says an issuing authority creates codes with its private key, while relying parties validate signatures using the corresponding public key. It also says the system can use a unique code identifier and hash for independent verification. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/facetec-announces-the-release-of-the-ur-encoder-for-ur-codes-302390749.html))

Privacy and workflow questions remain for agencies

The partnership announcement does not specify the exact data fields that Project Lifesaver agencies will encode, whether public-facing scans will be limited by role or application, how revocation will be handled, or whether all participating agencies will deploy the feature on the same timetable. These are consequential design choices because the credential is meant for a particularly vulnerable population.

Before issuing scannable bracelet credentials, agencies should document consent and caregiver authorization processes; identify the minimum identity, contact and care information necessary for the field workflow; determine which information can be displayed to an unverified scanner; and set procedures for a lost, damaged or replaced bracelet. Agencies should also test no-connectivity and low-battery scenarios, as well as escalation paths when the scan result, biometric comparison and the person’s circumstances do not align.

Considerations for installers and security integrators

For security and public-safety teams, the deployment is a reminder that a credential can serve a recovery workflow beyond building access. Successful implementation will require durable placement of the code on the bracelet or approved label, a defined scanning application, agency key-management and revocation processes, and training that makes clear when a scan is appropriate and who should be contacted afterward.

Procurement teams should seek written confirmation of the configured information fields, biometric matching thresholds and operating-device requirements. They should also distinguish vendor-described cryptographic and privacy features from the policies implemented by the individual issuing agency. FaceTec said it has provided its UR Code software to Project Lifesaver at no cost and in perpetuity; local program enrollment and implementation practices can still vary by member agency. ([prnewswire.com](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/project-lifesaver-partners-with-facetec-to-identify-at-risk-children-and-adults-302860874.html))