Lingaya’s Institute of Management and Technology

SEMINAR REPORT
ON

“BIOMETRICS”
SUBMITTED IN THE PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENT
OF DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Mr. Tapas Kumar Vartika Paul

Mr. Kiran Kumar 4-IT-55

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

LINGAYA’S INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY,

NACHAULI, FARIDABAD, HARYANA-121002

April 2008
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am greatly thankful to my Teachers and co-students of Information Technology

Department, who inspired me to present my seminar on “BIOMETRICS”.

They helped and encouraged me in every possible way. The knowledge acquired
during the preparation of the seminar report would definitely help me in my future
ventures.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude thank all the teachers of our
Department for their help in various aspects during the seminar.
 BIOMETRICS

What is Biometrics?
Definition
"Biometrics is the automated identification, or verification of human
identity through the measurement of repeatable physiological, or
behavioral characteristics”
Identification:
The search of a biometric sample against a database of other samples in
order to ascertain whether the donor is already contained in, or new to the
database.
Verification:
It refers to the 'one to one' comparison between a sample and another to ask
the question, 'are you who you say you are.'
The term "biometrics" is derived from the Greek words bio (life) and
metric (to measure). For our use, biometrics refers to technologies for
measuring and analyzing a person's physiological or behavioral
characteristics, such as fingerprints, irises, voice patterns, facial patterns,
and hand measurements, for identification and verification purposes.

Figure 1 Explains the meaning of definition

Identification and verification have long been accomplished by showing

something you have, such as a license or a passport. Sometimes it also
required something you know, such as a password or a PIN. As we move
into a time when we need more secure and accurate measures, we begin to
look at using something you are: biometrics.
Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a
physiological or behavioral characteristic.
 History of BIOMETRICS:

Chinese Precursor:
Possibly the first known example of biometrics in practice was a form of
finger printing being used in China in the 14th century, as reported by
explorer Joao de Barros. He wrote that the Chinese merchants were
stamping children's palm prints and footprints on paper with ink to
distinguish the young children from one another. This is one of the earliest
known cases of biometrics in use and is still being used today.
European Origins:
Until the late 1800s, identification largely relied upon "photographic
memory." In the 1890s, an anthropologist and police desk clerk in Paris
named Alphonse Bertillon sought to fix the problem of identifying
convicted criminals and turned biometrics into a distinct field of study. He
developed a method of multiple body measurements which got named after
him (Bertillonage). His system was used by police authorities throughout
the world, until it quickly faded when it was discovered that some people
shared the same measurements and based on the measurements alone, two
people could get treated as one. After the failure of Bertillonage, the police
started using finger printing, which was developed by Richard Edward
Henry of Scotland Yard, essentially reverting to the same methods used by
the Chinese for years.
Modern Times:
In the past three decades biometrics has moved from a single method
(fingerprinting) to more than ten discreet methods. Companies involved
with new methods number in the hundreds and continue to improve their
methods as the technology available to them advances. Prices for the
harware required continue to fall making systems more feasible for low and
mid-level budgets. As the industry grows however, so does the public
concern over privacy issues. Laws and regulations continue to be drafted
and standards are beginning to be developed. While no other biometric has
yet reached the breadth of use of fingerprinting, some are beginning to be
used in both legal and business areas.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE OF BIOMETRICS
Biometric devices consist of a reader or scanning device, software that
converts the gathered information into digital form, and a database that
stores the biometric data for comparison with previous records. When
converting the biometric input, the software identifies specific points of
data as match points. The match points are processed using an algorithm
into a value that can be compared with biometric data in the database.
All Biometric authentications require comparing a registered or enrolled
biometric sample (biometric template or identifier) against a newly
captured biometric sample (for example, a fingerprint captured during a
login).

Figure 2 Enrollment and Verification Technique

Enrollment Mode:
A sample of the biometric trait is captured, processed by a computer, and
stored for later comparison. Biometric recognition can be used in
Identification mode, where the biometric system identifies a person from
the entire enrolled population by searching a database for a match based
solely on the biometric. For example, an entire database can be searched to
verify a person has not applied for entitlement benefits under two different
names. This is sometimes called “one-to-many” matching.
Verification Mode:
In this mode biometric system authenticates a person’s claimed identity
from their previously enrolled pattern. This is also called “one-to-one”
matching. In most computer access or network access environments,
verification mode would be used. A user enters an account, user name, or
inserts a token such as a smart card, but instead of entering a password, a
simple glance at a camera is enough to authenticate the user.

TYPES OF BIOMETRICS:
There are two types of biometrics: behavioral and physical.
Behavioral biometrics - Used for verification .
Physical biometrics - Used for either identification or verification.
Physical biometrics :
 Fingerprint - Analyzing fingertip patterns.
 Facial Recognition - Measuring facial characteristics.
 Hand Geometry - Measuring the shape of the hand.
 Iris recognition - Analyzing features of colored ring of the eye.
 Vascular Patterns - Analyzing vein patterns.
 Retinal Scan - Analyzing blood vessels in the eye.
 Bertillonage - Measuring body lengths (no longer used).

Behavioral biometrics:
 Speaker Recognition - Analyzing vocal behavior.
 Signature- Analyzing signature dynamics.
 Keystroke - Measuring the time spacing of typed words.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOMETRICS:
Biometric characteristics can be divided in two main classes, as represented
in figure on the right:

• Physiological are related to the shape of the body. The oldest traits,
that have been used for more than 100 years, are fingerprints. Other
examples are face recognition, hand geometry and iris recognition.
• Behavioral are related to the behavior of a person. The first
characteristic to be used, still widely used today, is the signature. More
modern approaches are the study of keystroke dynamics and of voice.

FUTURE OUTLOOK:
According to most experts, the future of biometrics is dependant upon two
critical areas: standardization and the use of hybrid technologies.

Standardization:
Currently, the biometrics industry is very fragmented, with more than 150
companies with their own proprietary systems and methodologies.
Standards have only recently been established in order to provide direction
for the development of a common interface that will allow for shared
biometric templates. The BioAPI standard created by the BioAPI
Consortium, a group of more than 60 vendors and government agencies,
defines a common structure for interfacing with biometrics. Yet,
competitive forces remain as technology giants like Microsoft have
abandoned the consortium and the BioAPI standard in order to develop
their own proprietary software standards. The development and acceptance
of a primary standard is critical for the growth and applicability of the
biometrics industry. Only after the technological standard is more
established can systems integrate and interact efficiently.

Hybrid Technologies:
One of the critical concerns with the use of biometric technologies is that
of privacy and security of stored personal biometric data. To have personal
data stored in a centralized database leaves the information potentially open
to theft or compromise. The concept of combining smart card or public key
infrastructures with biometric readers where the biometric template is
stored on an individually controlled key has been suggested as a solution
for the privacy concern and is considered by some critical to the
advancement of biometric applications.

Biometrics is a powerful combination of science and technology that can

be used to protect and secure our most valuable information and property.
The future holds no limits for this industry as more applications are found.
Further, the technology itself continues to improve in terms of application
and accuracy. From the application of total body scanning for highest
security areas to speed and accuracy of identification when shopping on-
line, the applications are boundless.

Imagine a world where interstate air travel is allowed automatically via a

full body scan that not only verifies identity but simultaneously searches
for insecure or illegal paraphernalia. Where access to one is bank or credit
accounts is only granted after identification via iris or retina scan. Where a
shopping trip is made possible by a vehicle that operates only with
biometric verification of ownership and payment is made via a fingerprint
scan that links directly to one is credit account.

In the future, we will live in a faster paced, more secure world where
verification of one is identity is critical for daily activities. While some
might argue that privacy and personal "freedom" are sacrificed with this
level of control, most believe that it is the necessary price for a secure
world environment.
 BASIC MECHANISM:
The diagram shows a simple block diagram of a biometric system. When
such a system is networked together with telecommunications technology,
biometric systems become telebiometric systems. The main operations a
system can perform are enrollment and test. During the enrollment,
biometric information from an individual is stored. During the test,
biometric information is detected and compared with the stored
information. Note that it is crucial that storage and retrieval of such
systems themselves be secure if the biometric system is be robust. The first
block (sensor) is the interface between the real world and our system; it has
to acquire all the necessary data. Most of the times it is an image
acquisition system, but it can change according to the characteristics
desired. The second block performs all the necessary pre-processing: it has
to remove artifacts from the sensor, to enhance the input (e.g. removing
background noise), to use some kind of normalization, etc. In the third
block features needed are extracted. This step is an important step as the
correct features need to be extracted and the optimal way. A vector of
numbers or an image with particular properties is used to create a template.
A template is a synthesis of all the characteristics extracted from the
source, in the optimal size to allow for adequate identifiability.

BIOMETRICS COLLECTION
Biometrics are typically collected using a device called a sensor. These
sensors are used to acquire the data needed for recognition and to convert
the data to a digital form.
The quality of the sensor used has a significant impact on the recognition
results. Example “sensors” could be digital cameras (for face recognition)
or a telephone (for voice recognition).
 BIOMETRIC TEMPLATES

A biometric template is a digital representation of an individual’s distinct

characteristics, representing information extracted from a biometric
sample. Biometric templates are what are actually compared in a biometric
recognition system. Templates can vary between biometric modalities as
well as vendors. Not all biometric devices are template based. For example,
voice recognition is based on “models.” The difference between templates
and models is beyond the scope of this paper.

BIOMETRICS IDENTIFICATION SCHEMES:

There are several types of biometric identification schemes:

• Face: the analysis of facial characteristics

• Fingerprint: the analysis of an individual’s unique fingerprints
• Hand geometry: the analysis of the shape of the hand and the
length of the fingers
• Retina: the analysis of the capillary vessels located at the back of
the eye
• Iris: the analysis of the colored ring that surrounds the eye’s pupil
• Signature: the analysis of the way a person signs his name.
• Vein: the analysis of pattern of veins in the back if the hand and the
wrist
• Voice: the analysis of the tone, pitch, cadence and frequency of a
person’s voice.

Comparison of various biometric technologies

It is possible to understand if a human characteristic can be used for
biometrics in terms of the following parameters:

• Uniqueness is how well the biometric separates individually from

another.
• Permanence measures how well a biometric resists aging.
• Collectability eases of acquisition for measurement.
• Performance accuracy, speed, and robustness of technology used.
• Acceptability degree of approval of a technology.
• Circumvention eases of use of a substitute.

The following table shows a comparison of existing biometric systems in

terms of those parameters:

Comparison of various biometric technologies, according to A. K. Jain

(H=High, M=Medium, L=Low)
Biome Univer Uniqu Perma Collect Perfor Accept Circumv
trics: sality eness nence ability mance ability ention*
Face H L M H L H L
Finger
M H H M H M H
print
Hand
geomet M M M H M M M
ry
Keystr
L L L M L M M
okes
Hand
M M M M M M H
veins
Iris H H H M H L H
Retinal
H H M L H L H
scan
Signat
L L L H L H L
ure
Voice M L L M L H L
Facial
thermo H H L H M H H
graph
Odor H H H L L M L
DNA H H H L H L L
Gait M L L H L H M
Ear
M M H M M H M
Canal
 BIOMETRIC MODALITIES:
Different applications and environments have different constraints. For
instance, adequate fingerprint samples require user cooperation; whereas, a
face image can be Captured by a surveillance camera. Furthermore,
Fingerprints are not available for many of the suspects on Watch lists.
There are also multiple biometric modalities for technical and financial
reasons. Many scientists become interested in developing a system based
on their own research. Upon a successful implementation, venture
capitalist, interested in the implementation of such a system, commercialize
a product. Therefore, wide varieties of modalities are being researched and
are available on the market.

Fingerprint
The patterns of friction ridges and valleys on an individual's fingertips are
unique to that individual. For decades, law enforcement has been classifying
and determining identity by matching key points of ridge endings and
bifurcations. Fingerprints are unique for each finger of a person including
identical twins. One of the most commercially available biometric
technologies, fingerprint recognition devices for desktop and laptop access
are now widely available from many different vendors at a low cost. With
these devices, users no longer need to type passwords - instead, only a touch
provides instant access. Fingerprint systems can also be used in identification
mode. Several states check fingerprints for new applicants to social services
benefits to ensure recipients do not fraudulently obtain benefits under fake
names. New York State has over 900,000 people enrolled in such a system.

Advantages:
• Subjects have multiple fingers.
• Easy to use, with some training
• Some systems require little space.
• Large amounts of existing data to allow background and/or watchlist
checks.
• Has proven effective in many large scale systems over years of use.
• Fingerprints are unique to each finger of each individual and the ridge
arrangement remains permanent during one's lifetime.
 Disadvantages:
• Public Perceptions.
• Privacy concerns of criminal implications.
• Health or societal concerns with touching a sensor used by countless
individuals.

Face
The identification of a person by their facial image can be done in a number
of different ways such as by capturing an image of the face in the visible
spectrum using an inexpensive camera or by using the infrared patterns of
facial heat emission. Facial recognition in visible light typically model key
features from the central portion of a facial image. Using a wide assortment
of cameras, the visible light systems extract features from the captured
image(s) that do not change over time while avoiding superficial features
such as facial expressions or hair. Several approaches to modeling facial
images in the visible spectrum are Principal Component Analysis, Local
Feature Analysis, neural networks, elastic graph theory, and multi-resolution
analysis.
Some of the challenges of facial recognition in the visual spectrum include
reducing the impact of variable lighting and detecting a mask or photograph.
Some facial recognition systems may require a stationary or posed user in
order to capture the image, though many systems use a real-time process to
detect a person's head and locate the face automatically. Major benefits of
facial recognition are that it is non-intrusive, hands-free, continuous and
accepted by most users.

Advantages:
• No contact required.
• Commonly available sensors (cameras).
• Large amounts of existing data to allow background and/or watchlist
checks.
• Easy for humans to verify results.

Disadvantages:
• Face can be obstructed by hair, glasses, hats, scarves etc.
• Sensitive to changes in lighting, expression, and poses faces change
over time.
 • Propensity for users to provide poor-quality video images yet to
expect accurate results.

Hand Geometry
These methods of personal authentication are well established. Hand
recognition has been available for over twenty years. To achieve personal
authentication, a system may measure either physical characteristics of the
fingers or the hands. These include length, width, thickness and surface area
of the hand. One interesting characteristic is that some systems require a
small biometric sample (a few bytes). Hand geometry has gained acceptance
in a range of applications. It can frequently be found in physical access
control in commercial and residential applications, in time and attendance
systems and in general personal authentication applications

Advantages
• Easy to capture.
• Believed to be a highly stable pattern over the adult lifespan.

Disadvantages
• Use requires some training.
• Not sufficiently distinctive for identification over large
Databases.
• Usually used for verification of a claimed
enrollment identity.
• System requires a large amount of physical space.

Speaker/voice
Speaker recognition has a history dating back some four decades, where the
output of several analog filters were averaged over time for matching.
Speaker recognition uses the acoustic features of speech that have been
found to differ between individuals. These acoustic patterns reflect both
anatomy (e.g., size and shape of the throat and mouth) and learned
behavioral patterns (e.g., voice pitch, speaking style). This incorporation of
learned patterns into the voice templates (the latter called "voiceprints") has
earned speaker recognition its classification as a "behavioral biometric."
Speaker recognition systems employ three styles of spoken input: text-
dependent, text-prompted and text independent. Most speaker verification
applications use text-dependent input, which involves selection and
 enrollment of one or more voice passwords. Text-prompted input is used
whenever there is concern of imposters. The various technologies used to
process and store voiceprints includes hidden Markov models, pattern
matching algorithms, neural networks, matrix representation and decision
trees. Some systems also use "anti-speaker" techniques, such as cohort
models, and world models.
Ambient noise levels can impede both collection of the initial and
subsequent voice samples. Performance degradation can result from changes
in behavioral attributes of the voice and from enrollment using one
telephone and verification on another telephone. Voice changes due to aging
also need to be addressed by recognition systems. Many companies market
speaker recognition engines, often as part of large voice processing, control
and switching systems. Capture of the biometric is seen as non-invasive. The
technology needs little additional hardware by using existing microphones
and voice-transmission technology allowing recognition over long distances
via ordinary telephones (wire line or wireless).

Advantages
• Public Acceptance.
• No Contact Required.
• Commonly Available Sensors(telephones & microphones).

Disadvantages
• Difficult to control sensor and channel variances that significantly
impact capabilities.
• Not sufficiently distinctive for identification over large databases.

Iris
This recognition method uses the iris of the eye which is the colored area that
surrounds the pupil. Iris patterns are thought unique. The iris patterns are
obtained through a video-based image acquisition system. Iris scanning
devices have been used in personal authentication applications for several
years. Systems based on iris recognition have substantially decreased in price
and this trend is expected to continue. The technology works well in both
verification and identification modes (in systems performing one-to-many
searches in a database). Current systems can be used even in the presence of
eyeglasses and contact lenses. The technology is not intrusive. It does not
require physical contact with a scanner. Iris recognition has been
demonstrated to work with individuals from different ethnic groups and
nationalities
Advantages
• No contact Required.
• Protected internal organ,less prone to injury.
• Believed to be highly stable over lifetime.
Disadvantages
• Difficult to capture for some individuals.
• Easily obscured by eyelashes,eyelids,lens and reflections from the
cornea.
• Public myths and fears related to “scanning” the eye with a light
source.
• Acquisition of an iris image requires more training and attentiveness
than most biometrics.
• Lack of existing data deters ability to use for background or watch
list checks.
• Cannot be verified by a human.

SIGNATURE VERIFICATION
This technology uses the dynamic analysis of a signature to authenticate a
person. The technology is based on measuring speed, pressure and angle used
by the person when a signature is produced. One focus for this technology has
been e-business applications and other applications where signature is an
accepted method of personal authentication.
 IRIS Recognition Technology

History of iris recognition technology

The idea of using iris patterns for personal identification was originally
documented in an ophthalmology textbook by James Doggarts in 1949, and
may have been proposed as early as 1936 by ophthalmologist Frank Burch.
By the 1980's the idea had appeared in James Bond films, but it still
remained science fiction and conjecture
In 1987 two other ophthalmologists, Aran Safir and Leonard Flom,
patented this idea, and in 1989 they asked John Daugman (then teaching at
Harvard University) to try to create actual algorithms for iris recognition.
These algorithms, which Daugman patented in 1994, are the basis for all
current iris recognition systems and products
The Daugman algorithms are owned by Iridian Technologies, and the
process is licensed to several other companies who serve as systems
integrators and developers of special platforms exploiting iris recognition.
Iris structure

Figure 3 Iris Structure

The iris is a protected internal organ of the eye, located behind the cornea
and the aqueous humour, but in front of the lens. The false acceptance rate
for iris recognition systems is in 1 in 1.2 million, that is every 1 in 1.2
million iris is found to be unique in it’s features. It is seen in cross-section
in the anatomical drawing above. It is the only internal organ of the body
that is normally visible externally. Images of the iris adequate for personal
identification with very high confidence can be acquired from distances of
up to about 3 feet (1 meter).
Among the visible features of an iris are the trabecular mesh works of
connective tissue (pectinate ligament), the collagenous tissue of the stroma,
ciliary’s processes, contraction furrows, crypts, rings, a corona and
 pupillary frill, colouration, and sometimes freckles. The striated anterior
layer covering the trabecular meshwork creates the predominant texture
seen with visible light
The human iris begins to form during the third month of gestation. The
structures creating its distinctive pattern are complete by the eighth month
of gestation, but pigmentation continues into the first years after birth. The
layers of the iris have both ectodermal and mesodermal embryological
origin, consisting of (from back to front): a darkly pigmented epithelium;
pupillary dilator and sphincter muscles; heavily vascularized stroma
(connective tissue of interlacing ligaments containing melanocytes); and an
anterior layer of chromataphores and melanocytes with a genetically
determined density of melanin pigment granules.
The combined effect is a visible pattern displaying various distinctive
features such as arching ligaments, crypts, furrows, ridges, and a zigzag
collarette. Iris colour is determined mainly by the density of the stroma and
its melanin content, with blue irises resulting from an absence of pigment:
longer wavelengths differentially penetrate while shorter wavelengths are
reflected and scattered, a phenomenon resembling that which makes the
sky blue .
Physiological Properties of Iris
Further properties of the iris that enhance its suitability for use in high
confidence identification systems include:
• Its inherent isolation and protection from the external environment.
• The impossibility of surgically modifying iris without unacceptable
risk to vision. Its physiological response to light, which provides one of
several natural tests against artifice.
• A property the iris shares with fingerprints is the random
morphogenesis of its minutiae. Because there is no genetic penetrance in the
expression of this organ beyond its anatomical form, physiology, colour and
general appearance, the iris texture itself is stochastic or possibly chaotic.
• Its detailed morphogenesis depends on initial conditions in the
embryonic mesoderm from which it develops, the phenotypic expression even
of two irises with the same genetic genotype (as in identical twins, or the pair
possessed by one individual) have uncorrelated minutiae .
• The ease of registering iris image at some distance from a Subject
without physical contact, unintrusively and perhaps inconspicuously
• It’s intrinsic polar geometry, which imparts a natural coordinate
system and an origin of coordinates.
• The high level of randomness in iris pattern, creating inter-Subject
variability spanning about 250 degrees-of-freedom, and an entropy
(information density) of about 3.2 bits per square-millimeter of iris tissue.

Working Principle Of Iris Recognition Technology

The iris-scan process begins with a photograph. A specialized camera,
typically very close to the subject, no more than three feet, uses an infrared
imager to illuminate the eye and capture a very high-resolution photograph.

Figure 4 Iris Image After Image Acquisition Process

This process takes only one to two seconds and provides the details of the
iris that are mapped, recorded and stored for future matching/verification .
The inner edge of the iris is located by an iris-scan algorithm, which maps
the iris’ distinct patterns and characteristics. An algorithm is a series of
directives that tell a biometric system how to interpret a specific problem.
Algorithms have a number of steps and are used by the biometric system to
determine if a biometric sample and record is a match
A general iris recognition system for personal identification is composed of
four steps
i) Iris Image Acquisition- an image containing the user’s eye is captured
by the high resolution Iris Camera.
ii) Image Preprocessing- the image is then preprocessed to normalize the
scale and illumination of the iris and localize the iris from the acquired
image.
iii)Feature Extraction- features representing the iris patterns are extracted.
iv)Pattern Matching - decision is made by means of matching.
i) Iris Image Acquisition .
An important and difficult step of an iris recognition system is image
acquisition. Since iris is small in size and dark in color, using some
specialized camera iris image can be easily acquired for analysis
ii) Image Preprocessing
The acquired image always contains not only the’ useful’ parts (iris) but
also some ‘irrelevant’ parts (e.g. eyelid, pupil etc.). Under some conditions,
the brightness is not uniformly distributed. In addition, different eye-to
camera distance may result in different image sizes of the same eye. For the
purpose of analysis, the original image needs to be preprocessed. The
preprocessing is composed of three steps
 Iris Localization.
 Iris Normalization.
 Image Enhancement.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
• False accept rate (FAR) or false match rate (FMR): The
probability that the system incorrectly declares a successful match
between the input pattern and a non-matching pattern in the database.
It measures the percent of invalid matches. These systems are critical
since they are commonly used to forbid certain actions by disallowed
people.
• False reject rate (FRR) or false non-match rate (FNMR):
The probability that the system incorrectly declares failure of match
between the input pattern and the matching template in the database. It
measures the percent of valid inputs being rejected.
• Receiver (or relative) operating characteristic (ROC): In
general, the matching algorithm performs a decision using some
parameters (e.g. a threshold). In biometric systems the FAR and FRR
can typically be traded off against each other by changing those
parameters. The ROC plot is obtained by graphing the values of FAR
and FRR, changing the variables implicitly. A common variation is
the Detection error trade-off (DET), which is obtained using normal
deviate scales on both axes. This more linear graph illuminates the
differences for higher performances (rarer errors).
• Equal error rate (EER): The rate at which both accept and reject
errors are equal. ROC or DET plotting is used because how FAR and
FRR can be changed, is shown clearly. When quick comparison of
two systems is required, the ERR is commonly used. Obtained from
the ROC plot by taking the point where FAR and FRR have the same
value. The lower the EER, the more accurate the system is considered
• Failure to enroll rate (FTE or FER): The percentage of data
input is considered invalid and fails to input into the system. Failure to
enroll happens when the data obtained by the sensor are considered
invalid or of poor quality.
• Failure to capture rate (FTC): Within automatic systems, the
probability that the system fails to detect a biometric characteristic
when presented correctly.
• Template capacity: The maximum number of sets of data which
can be input in to the system.

BIOMETRIC SECURITY
A concern is how a person's biometric, once collected, can be protected.
Australia has therefore introduced a Biometrics Institute Privacy Code
Biometrics Institute in order to protect consumer personal data beyond the
current protections offered by the Australian Privacy Act.

Sociological concerns
As technology advances, and time goes on, more private companies and
public utilities may use biometrics for safe, accurate identification. These
advances are likely to raise concerns such as:

• Physical - Some believe this technology can cause physical harm to

an individual using the methods, or that instruments used are
unsanitary. For example, there are concerns that retina scanners might
not always be clean.

• Personal Information - There are concerns whether our personal

information taken through biometric methods can be misused,
tampered with, or sold, e.g. by criminals stealing, rearranging or
copying the biometric data. Also, the data obtained using biometrics
can be used in unauthorized ways without the individual's consent.

Danger to owners of secured items

When thieves cannot get access to secure properties, there is a chance tha ers
of secured itemst the thieves will stalk and assault the property owner to
gain access. If the item is secured with a biometric device, the damage to the
owner could be irreversible, and potentially cost more than the secured
property. In 2005, Malaysian car thieves cut off the finger of a Mercedes-
Benz S-Class owner when attempting to steal the car.

Cancelable Biometrics
Physical features, such as face, fingerprint, iris, retina, hand, or behavioral
features, such as signature, voice, gait, must fulfill a certain criteria to
qualify for use in recognition. They must be unique, universal, acceptable,
collectable and convenient to the person, in addition, to reliability at
recognition, performance and circumvention. However, most importantly,
permanence is a key feature for biometrics. They must retain all the above
features in particular the uniqueness unchanged, or acceptably changed, over
the lifetime of the individual. On the other hand, this fundamental feature
has brought biometrics to challenge a new risk. If biometric data is obtained,
for example compromised from a database, by unauthorized users, the
genuine owner will lose control over them forever and lose his/her identity.

BIOMETRIC APPLICATIONS
 • Biometric Time Clocks -Which are being increasingly used in
various organisations to control employee timekeeping.
• Biometric safes and biometric locks- Provides security to the
homeowners.
• Biometric access control systems Providing strong security at
entrances. Biometric systems are also developed for securing access to
pc's and providing single logon facilities.
• Wireless biometrics for high end security and providing safer
transactions from wireless devices like PDA's, etc.
• Identifying DNA Patterns of biometrics technology in identifying
DNA patterns for identifying criminals, etc.
• Biometrics airport security devices are also deployed at some of the
world's famous airports to enhance the security standards.

BIOMETRICS DEVICES
Optical Fingerprint Scanner
Our biometric hamster is the next generation model of popular and versatile
biometric fingerprint readers. Packaged in a comfortable, ergonomic design,
this biometric scanner features the industry's most rugged and advanced
optical sensor using patented SEIR fingerprint biometric technology.

OptiMouse
OptiMouse is an innovative optical tracking mouse that can operate on
almost any surface with exceptional response, it features the industry's most
rugged and advanced optical sensor using patented SEIR fingerprint
biometric technology.
iGuard - Integrated Access Control and Time Attendance
System

iGuard is a complete solution combining a access control system and time

attendance system. It utilizes patented embedded web server technology
combined with biometrics and smart card authentication. This is the world's
only available system that has achieved advanced operability using world-
renowned TCP/IP networking protocol without having to compromise on
security.

Personal Fingerprint Safes

Biometric personal safes are revolutionary locking storage cases that open
with just the touch of your finger. These products are designed as "access
denial" secure storage for medications, jewelry, weapons, documents, and
other valuable or potentially harmful items.
Biometric Fingerprint Door Locks
Your fingerprint is the key with our revolutionary fingerprint door lock. This
amazing new product replaces keyed locking mechanisms with a fingerprint
sensor that actually recognizes who is and who is not authorized to enter.

BIOMETRICS VERSUS FORENSIC

While both biometrics ad forensic involves human recognition biometrics is
typically applied using automated techniques to prevent situation application
such as gaining access to sensitive information or to a secured facility .
Forensic applications typically occur after a crime has occurred,and may not
use fully automated methods.Forensic methods are often used to assist in the
legal process.
Forensic usually requires days of processing and are held to much higher
accuracy requirements.

Where to use BIOMETRICS?

Biometric use involve controlling access to physical locations(laboratories
,buildings etc.Biometrics can be used to determine whether or not a peson is
already in database such as for social service or national id applications.
Biometrics can be used in environments where recognition of an individual
is required.Applications vary and range from logical access to a personal
computer to physical access of a secured laboratory.They can be used in a
variety of collection environments as identification systems.
Biometrics are also used for accountability applications such as recording
the biometric identities of individuals.
 WIRELESS BIOMETRICS
As biometrics systems improve, become smaller and require less power for
operation, the potential to integrate into new application grows. The ability
to operate the biometrics verification solution from battery supply is
unprecedented. Previously, biometrics have been used in combination with
personal computers and based on a stringent platform to maintain reasonable
performance.

However, as the technology for fingerprint recognition is being miniaturized

and streamlined for performance, new avenues of application can be found
when technologies are integrated together in small, simple and stand-alone
packaging.

Wireless biometrics will consists of both the hardware and software for the
fingerprint scanning devices that will be embedded in wireless handheld
devices. The solution will come as a bundle of a range of validation,
transaction management and content protection services based on the
devices.
 TELEBIOMETRICS
Telebiometrics applies biometrics to telecommunications and
telecommunications to remote biometric sensing. With the emergence of
multimodal biometrics systems gathering data from different sensors and
contexts, International Standards that support systems performing biometric
enrollment and verification or identification have begun to focus on human
physiological thresholds as constraints and frameworks for "plug and play"
telebiometric networks.

Attending to these wetware protocols has become particularly urgent in the

context of a recent study suggesting possible pathological effects from RFID
transponders implanted in dogs. Dogs are frequently used as model
organisms in the study of human disease