This entry is submitted by Gloria Gamat, via Creative Reporter.In this day and age, if there is a hot buzzword in identity management and protection from terrorists and identity thieves that isn't foolproof: it's called biometrics.

According to Anil Jain, a University Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering at Michigan State University, the wizardry world of identifying people by unique physical characteristics -- fingerprints, the landscape of the iris, the digitized appearance and structure of their faces - is filled with promise.

Biometrics has leaped from the world of fingerprinting criminals on blotters to enter the world of hi-tech scanners which are popping up at airports and grocery store cash registers. And it's not just fingers - the iris of the eye also holds unique, and highly accurate, identifying traits. Even faces - susceptible as they can be to age, weight and fashion - are succumbing to the algorithms and data fusion that science offers.

There are still a lot to do in order to deliver the technology that will meet the demands brought by current worldwide threats of terrorism and identity theft. Jain identified four areas needing emphasis:

• Building better sensors. Jain noted that many of the problems with biometrics come because the scans are noisy and distorted. Fingerprints, for example, can be smudged or hard to read. Even new digital readers have downfalls. The act of pressing a finger to a glass plate can leave a residue that can be copied, allowing a fake finger to be made that can become a key to access. Jain said already better sensors are being developed that can differentiate between a live finger and a fake one. New methods also are being developed to gather fingerprint information below the skin surface, charting even pores.


• Improving image quality. As a way of better using current data, researchers are working on ways to sharpen existing scans and improve the millions of prints in the legacy databases.


• Combining biometric traits to improve accuracy. Some applications may demand fingerprints and iris scans and facial identification - for added security, or simply for convenience. For example, in a cold climate, it may be preferable to offer an iris scan at times when users don't want to have to remove gloves. Jain says it will be increasingly important to customize methods to meet different needs.


• Better testing. It will become more important to understand performance on a large scale and what that will mean for actual deployments. Jain pointed out that even a 1 percent failure rate of false positives and false negatives could be disastrous if used at a major airport with high volume traffic.

Source: EurekALert



About Gloria Gamat: Gloria is a Chemist and a single mom. Gloria also blogs about motherhood at EMothersOnline and about life and travel in the Philippines at The Philippine Culture Blog and at Pinoy Travel Blog respectively.