BIOMETRICS

Biometrics is the measurement of body parts (physiological) or actions (behavioural) to help identify a person. Measurements are achieved through various sensors. Identification or authentication is always accomplished using a computerised matching algorithm and system. Body parts can include a fingerprint, an iris, the retina, DNA, hand (palm), voice or face measurements. Actions, or behavioural biometrics can include gait (walking), voice, signature and keystroke). A useful biometrics primer and tutorial is found at the US DoD Biometrics Management Office.

Argus solutions has the capacity to accommodate any biometric technology in its solutions. The primary biometric systems delivered by Argus Solutions are iris recognition, fingerprints, and face recognition. Signature and voice are also included in some applications. The Biometrics Catalogue is a U.S. Government sponsored database of information about biometric technologies. Wider, credible web based resources can be found at this site.

Iris Recognition

The iris offers a rich source of data for biometric measurement. The patterns of the iris are unique and templates derived from the iris can yield identification performance which is better than DNA matching. The iris is the only internal organ visible from the outside and is protected from environmental factors (such as dirt and abrasion) which can afflict other biometrics. Iris recognition offers advantages in accuracy, high speed of exhaustive search, non contact with sensors and passive collection methods.

Why iris? | How it works | Where can it be used? | Learn more | Privacy

Fingerprints

Fingerprints are perhaps the most commonly known and widely used biometric technology. Most are familiar with their use in forensics but increasingly fingerprints are being used to identify large populations in transport and border control applications. The patterns of the finger are mapped using a variety of sensor technologies. While many of these sensors can be challenged by environmental factors, high end sensors largely overcome these shortcomings.

The Biometrics Catalogue

Face Recognition

Increasingly used in surveillance roles face recognition is usually based on video technologies. Digital images captured from video or still photographs are compared with other pre-captured images. Recognition is based on geometric or statistical features derived from face images. While used in one on one applications such as passport checks, law enforcement applications in which persons are identified in an unobtrusive way are perhaps the largest emerging markets for face recognition applications.

The Biometrics Catalogue

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