BIOMETRICS AS A BOON TO TWENTY FIRST CENTURY :

so as to differentiate the young children from one another. This is one of the most primitive known cases of biometrics in use and is still being used today. ETHICS OF BIOMETRICS: Let me first of all explain the difference

Biometrics (ancient Greek: bios life, metric measure) refers to two very different fields of study and application. Biometrics is the science and technology of measuring and analyzing biological data. In information technology, biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns and hand measurements, for authentication purposes. Biometrics History : During the 14 century in the China a reporter named,Barros wrote that the Chinese merchants were stamping children's palm prints and footprints on paper with ink
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between identification and authentication. The identification process entails matching a physiological or behavioral characteristic of a person to an established and pre-confirmed record of that characteristic. For example, matching the image of my face to a photograph in a large number of photos in a database. Searching, in other words, to identify a person such as the rogues gallery used by the police department. Authentication is done is through the presentation of a "token" such as a PIN, a card, or a biometric whose validity is confirmed, and thereby verifying one's eligibility to access a particular service. There is no searching and matching to a database, only the validity of the token is established, through a single one-to-one match.

The problem is that a biometric such as a fingerprint can be used as a unique surrogate of one's identity which, as a unique identifier, can be used to trace people's transactions and link massive amounts of personal data about them. If my fingerprints are stored in a database, then my transactions, whereabouts and personal information can easily be tracked. The issues with biometric systems: There are two basic types of recognition errors: the false accept rate (FAR) and the false reject rate (FRR). A False Accept is when a non matching pair of biometric data is wrongly accepted as a match by the system. A False Reject is when a matching pair of biometric data is wrongly rejected by the system. When you try to lower one of the errors by varying the threshold, the other error rate automatically increases. In a biometric authentication system, the relative false accept and false reject rates can be set by choosing a particular operating point (i.e., a detection threshold). To provide

high security, biometric systems operate at a low FAR instead of the commonly recommended equal error rate (EER) operating point where FAR = FRR. Biometric characteristics can be divided in two main classes, as represented as:

Physiological are related to the shape of the body. Examples include, but are not limited to fingerprint, face recognition, hand and palm geometry and iris recognition.

Behavioral are related to the behavior of a person. Characteristic implemented by using biometrics

are signature verification, keystroke dynamics, and voice.

image of the face in the visible spectrum using an optical camera or by using the infrared patterns of facial heat emission.

Physiological Biometrics: Fingerprints: The patterns of friction ridges and valleys on an individual's fingertips are unique to that individual

Hand and Finger Geometry: These methods of personal authentication are well established.

One of the most commercially available biometric technologies users no longer need to type passwords instead, only a touch provides instant access. Fingerprint systems can also be used in identification mode. . To achieve personal authentication, a system may measure either physical characteristics of the Face Recognition: The identification of a person by their facial image can be done in a number of different ways such as by capturing an fingers or the hands. These include length, width, thickness and surface area of the hand.

Fingerprint : the analysis of an individuals unique fingerprints . Iris Recognition: This recognition method uses the iris of the eye which is the colored area that surrounds the pupil. The iris patterns are obtained through a video-based image acquisition system. The technology works well in both verification and identification modes (in systems performing one-to-many searches in a database). Hand geometry: the analysis of the shape of the hand and the length of the fingers .

Face Recognition : the analysis of facial characteristics.

Retina: the analysis of the capillary vessels located at the back of the

eye. Iris: the analysis of the colored ring that surrounds the eyes pupil.

Keystroke dynamics( Typing Dynamics): Is the detailed timing information that describes exactly when each key was depressed and when it was released as a person is typing at a computer keyboard.

Signature: the analysis of the way a person signs his name.

At Walt Disney World biometric measurements are taken from the fingers of guests to ensure that the person's ticket is used by the same person from day to day. BIOMETRICS:

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 persons voice.

Offering greater independence and privacy coupled with easy and fast entry to legitimate personnel, our cutting edge biometric systems recognize individuals not only from their fingerprints, but alternative systems are based on iris and voice recognition readers.

DNA Identification technology:

DNA Biometrics is not a fool proof method of identification. If forensic scientists to not conduct a DNA test properly, a persons identification code can be skewed. Another problem is matching prior DNA samples to new samples; this is a bigger problem

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) Biometrics could be the most exact form of identifying any given individual .Every human being has its own individual map for every cell made, and this map, or blueprint as it more often is called, can be found in every body cell. DNA can be collected from any number of sources: blood, hair, finger nails, mouth swabs, blood stains, saliva, straws, and any number of other sources that has been attached to the body at some time. DNA matching has become a popular use in criminal trials, especially in proving rape cases The main problems surrounding DNA biometrics is that it is not a quick process to identify someone by their DNA. 2. History of the fingerprint: 1. Why we need Fingerprints? With increasingly urgent need for reliable security, biometrics is being spotlighted as the authentication method for the next generation. Among numerous biometric technologies, fingerprint authentication has been in use for the longest time and bears more advantages than other biometric technologies do. Biometrics Fingerprint Technology :

The beginning of fingerprints goes back to as early as the ancient times. According to historical findings, fingerprints were used on clay tablets for business transactions in ancient Babylon. In China, thumb prints were found on clay seals in the 19th century.

But fingerprint identification technology did not stop as a forensic method only. Fingerprints are now being used as a secure and effective authentication method in numerous fields, including financial, medical, ecommerce and entrance control applications. Modern applications of fingerprint technology rely in large part on the development of exceptionally compact fingerprint sensors

3.

Finger Identification

Process: Fingerprint identification process consists of two essential procedures: enrollment and authentication. Taking the following steps completes each procedure.

Step 1: Image Acquisition

The latter is called featurebased/minutia-based matching.. Every finger has a unique pattern formed by a flow of embossed lines called ridges and hollow regions between them called valleys. Real-time image acquisition method is roughly classified into optical and non-optical. Optical method relies on the total reflection phenomenon on the surface of glass or reinforced plastic where the fingertip is in contact. The sensor normally consists of an optical lens and a CCD module or CMOS image sensor. In contrast, semiconductor sensors, as a typical example of nonoptical sensors, exploit electrical characteristics of a fingertip such as capacitance. Step 3. Matching As seen in the Picture 2 below, ridges are represented as dark lines, while valleys are bright.

Step 2. Feature Extraction There are two main ways to compare an input fingerprint image and registered fingerprint data. One is to compare an image with another image directly. The other is to compare the socalled 'features' extracted from each fingerprint image. The matching step is classified into 1:1 and 1:N matching according to its purpose and/or the number of reference

templates. 1:1 matching is also called personal identification or verification. It is a procedure in which a user claims his/her identity by means of an ID and proves it with a fingerprint. The comparison occurs only once between the input fingerprint image and the selected one from the database following the claim by the user.

3S Technologies- Bangalore - the biometrics product Division of Ability IT Services is a pioneering solution provider for electronic Security, Safety & Surveillance. 3S Technologies Bangalore - India offer state-of-the-art security systems to provide foolproof security to facilities as well as the computer networks, using Biometrics and Smartcard Technologies.

:: Fingerprint Application

BARTRONICS:

Markets for fingerprint technology include entrance control and door-lock applications, fingerprint identification mouses, fingerprint mobile phones, and many others. Incorporated in 1990, Bartronics is a Hyderabad based company that 3S Technologies-Bangalore: started with providing solutions in Bar Coding, one of the oldest AIDC technologies, RFID, POS, Smart Cards working as AIDC division, RFID division, Smart Card Division and Retail-IT division in separate.

Our knowledge of products, technologies, implementation skills and understanding of the market place make us a dominant player in the domestic markets, and help us share . Biometrics Nutrition And Fitness:

program might provide for the average dieter. ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES OF BIOMETRIC SYSTEMS: Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of fully developed biometric systems that are fairly accurate: Retinal scans (electronic scan of the innermost layer of the eyeball's wall): Advantages: ;Retina generally remains stable through life, ensuring accuracy. -

Anyone who tells you that you can lose weight in a healthy manner without improved eating and exercise regimens is out of touch with the reality of dieting. These two issues form the pillars of healthy living and true weight loss. Thats why a number of programs have been developed in order to help people gain discipline in these areas. The Biometrics program is designed to help people get their eating and exercise habits in line through the mediation of a personal or group trainer. Here well take a closer look at Biometrics to see what this Disadvantages: Relatively expensive; requires large amount of computer storage; may not be generally accepted by public. Hand geometry (three-dimensional recording of length, width and height of Disadvantages: Requires close physical contact MW scanning device; may not be generally accepted by public. Iris recognition (recording of iris using standard video technology): Advantages: Non-invasive procedure (close physical contact not required).

hand and fingers, using optical scanner):

CURRENT USES OF BIOMETRICS: MasterCard International Inc. and Visa

Advantages: User-friendly; requires small amount of computer storage space. Disadvantages: Isn't as unique as other biometric methods; hand injury can cause recognition problems. Voice verification or recognition (acoustic signal of voice converted into digital code): Advantages: Works well over the telephone. Disadvantages: Requires large amount of computer storage; people's voices can change; background noises can interfere. Signature recognition (computer record of pen/stylus speed, pressure, direction and other characteristics of signature): Advantages: People are used to providing a signature. Disadvantages: Poor long-term reliability; accuracy difficult to ensure.

USA Inc., the world's two largest credit card companies, have begun to study the feasibility of using finger-scanning devices at the point of sale to verify that the card user is really the card holder. The scanners would compare fingerprints with biometric information stored on a microchip embedded in the credit card. Walt Disney World in Orlando has started taking hand scans of people who purchase yearly passes. These visitors now must pass through a scanner when entering the park preventing them from lending their passes to other people. The Immigration and Naturalization Service is letting a select group of travelers bypass lengthy lines at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark international Airport by sticking their bands and special cards the service has issued into an automated turnstile. Criminal Booking Systems:

if we are told that the government will not use the data or release the data to anyone, how can that be proven? It is YOUR right as an individual and person to protect your privacy about yourself and the direction of this technology seems to spell "D-I-S-A-S-TManaging criminal identity begins at the booking process. Reference:www.biometrics.com E-R" for everyone "PRIVACY.

Processing a subject under a wrong name, or capturing low-quality biometric data can stand in the way of saving lives and preventing further crime. Our booking solutions ensure maximum accuracy of the arrest record to verify that a subject is who s/he claims to be, and that s/he can be properly identified as s/he moves through the criminal justice system.

FUTURE OF BIOMETRICS: The future of this technology is just starting to bloom. Many issues are arising from this technology and "PRIVACY" is the main concern. Even