Abstract: A self-service terminal (10) includes a non-contact interface (18, 20) for enabling a user to interact with the terminal without requiring physical contact with the terminal, a biometric sensor (14) for establishing the identity of the user by sensing a physical trait or characteristic of the user, and a processor (30) for controlling the terminal. The interface (18, 20) may utilize speech recognition and generation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for optically scanning bank notes, the method including the steps of transmitting the bank notes along a transport path, illuminating each of the bank notes from one side of the transport path and forming a representation of the bank note utilizing a photo-electric means located on the opposite side of the transport path. The invention is characterized by determining the location of any defect in the bank note in relation to the boundaries of the bank note and determining whether or not the bank note is acceptable for use in an automated teller machine (ATM), dependent on the location of any detected defect.