Biometrics and its application
What is Biometrics
Biometrics refers to an automated system that can identify an
individual by measuring their physical and behavioral uniqueness or
patterns, and comparing it to those on record. In other words,
instead of requiring personal identification cards, magnetic cards,
keys or passwords, biometrics can identify fingerprints, face, iris,
palm prints, signature, DNA, or retinas of an individual for easy and
convenient verification. With the boom in Internet-based business and
the increased need for accurate verification when accessing accounts,
biometrics is the simplest and most convenient the solution. Its
universal, unique, permanent and measurable features ensures security
of information in E-commerce, such as on-line banking and shopping
malls. Biometrics can also provide you with convenience and security,
by enabling a machine to verify the individual by itself and to
respond to the individual’s requests.
Through the use of such physical controls as access control, and
punch card maintenance, user restrictions on certain apparatus can be
made possible with an automated verification system.
Authentication: 3 Factors
Passwords “something we know”
Tokens and Cards – “something we possess”
(e.g., ID cards, smart cards, digital certificates)
Biometrics “something that is part of us”
(e.g., retina scan, fingerprints, facial recognition)
Types of Biometrics
Among all the biometric techniques, fingerprint-based identification is the oldest method
which has been successfully used in numerous applications. Everyone is known to have
Fingerprint unique, immutable fingerprints. A fingerprint is made of a series of ridges and furrows on
the surface of the finger. The uniqueness of a fingerprint can be determined by the pattern
of ridges and furrows as well as the minutiae points. Minutiae points are local ridge
characteristics that occur at either a ridge bifurcation or a ridge ending.
Iris scan biometrics employs the unique characteristics and features of the human iris
Iris Scan in order to verify the identity of an individual. The iris is the area of the eye where the
pigmented or colored circle, usually brown or blue, rings the dark pupil of the eye.
Facial recognition systems are built on computer programs that analyze images of human
faces for the purpose of identifying them. The programs take a facial image, measure
Face Recognition characteristics such as the distance between the eyes, the length of the nose, and the angle
of the jaw, and create a unique file called a "template." Using templates, the software then
compares that image with another image and produces a score that measures how similar
the images are to each other.
Types of Biometrics
Voice recognition technology utilizes the distinctive aspects of the voice to verify the identity
of individuals. Voice recognition is occasionally confused with speech recognition, a
technology which translates what a user is saying (a process unrelated to authentication).
Voice Voice recognition technology, by contrast, verifies the identity of the individual who is speaking.
The two technologies are often bundled – speech recognition is used to translate the spoken
word into an account number, and voice recognition verifies the vocal characteristics against
those associated with this account.
This biometric approach uses the geometric form of the hand for confirming an individual’s
Hand geometry identity. Because human hands are not unique, specific features must be combined to assure
Signature verification is the process used to recognize an individual’s hand-written signature.
Signature Dynamic signature verification technology uses the behavioral biometrics of a hand written
signature to confirm the identity of a computer user. This is done by analyzing the shape,
speed, stroke, pen pressure and timing information during the act of signing. Natural and
intuitive, the technology is easy to explain and trust
Why Fingerprints: Reasons
Iris can return the most accurate results. But since it
requires the system or device to come very close to the individual’s eyes,
it a less desirable method of verification. In addition, such devices or
systems tend to be expensive and bulky, putting limits on its practical
A typical voice recognition system is usually more
affordable, but it’s not always reliable because the human voice is subject
to changes due to illness, hoarseness, or other common throat problems. This
system is also subject to extraneous noises in the surrounding area, static
and communication conditions.
Why Fingerprints: Reasons
Since faces have different dimensions and features
depending on the angle, expression and age, a face recognition system is
not likely to be of much practical use.
The results with a signature recognition system, like
the voice recognition system, are easily affected by various factors, and
therefore it is not reliable at all.
The hand recognition system tends to take too much space and has a
high return rate of False Acceptance (FAR). Therefore, this system is rarely used in
highly security zones. There are also cost problems in its administration, as well as
concerns over access to confidential information.
Fingerprint recognition has long been favored among many biometric
Identification technologies due to its uniqueness and permanence.
Nowadays, fingerprint recognition is considered to be the best
choice for most applications from network security systems to compact
devices, due to its accuracy, speed, reliability, non-intrusive
interfaces, and cost-effectiveness, resulting in acquiring 50% of
the shares in biometric markets
Biometrics in Practice
For Further Info: Please contact
BioEnable Technologies Pvt. Ltd
C4/1,Rakshalekha,North Main Road, Koregaon Park, Pune,India
Web : www.bioenabletech.com