Biometrics: Digitizing our Physical Features for Security

Biometrics: Digitizing our Physical Features for Security
by
Scott T. Jackson,
Published in Climate Magazine Mar - Apr 2002
Vol 13, Issue 2
(Index of Other Articles)

In the wake of the Sept 11^th tragedy the stock market took one of its most precipitous tumbles in modern times. But amidst the financial maelstrom a few companies quickly detected a silver lining. Quietly tucked away in the esoteric field of biometrics, several companies stock soared in value when the stock market later reopened. Biometrics represented a means to provide increased security and access management by employing technology that digitized our physical characteristics - facial structures, retinal patterns or fingerprints. While awareness of biometrics has increased, use of the technology in Northwest Florida will probably depend upon the technology maturing and becoming more affordable.

Awareness of biometrics has skyrocketed. On the afternoon of Sept. 11, the founder and CEO of Visionics Joseph Atick, sent out an e-mail message to reporters, announcing that he "has been speaking worldwide about the need for biometric systems to catch known terrorists and wanted criminals." Just nine days later on September 20th, he testified before a special government committee appointed by the secretary of transportation, Norman Mineta. Atick's message -- that security in airports and embassies could be improved using face-recognition technology. The dramatic elevation of the field of biometrics to national prominence in a little over a week has also brought several Florida companies into the limelight as well.

During the Gulf Coast Technology Summit and Expo held at the University of West Florida in October, Gorrie-Regan Associates, Inc. showcased their fingerprint-based time clock system. The company had migrated away from punch clock systems requiring cards and developed electronic (biometric) time clocks, a card-less biometric time-clock system eliminates the overhead expense of processing time cards and dealing with lost or damaged cards, and it nullifies chronic buddy-punching headaches.

AuthenTec, Inc. of Melbourne, Florida provides advanced solutions to the biometric and security markets. Their EntrePad©, is a tiny fingerprint sensor, no bigger than a fingernail, designed to replace passwords and identification cards on laptops, cell phones, cars and buildings. It differentiates itself from prior fingerprint technologies by looking below the surface layer of the skin and reading the real fingerprint, thus producing an unaffected, undistorted image - and avoiding the limitations of previous techniques.

But while this technology is rapidly finding itself to market there are still technical and sociological roadblocks.

To start, there are currently few industry standards. Most systems use proprietary techniques to store and exchange data, compounding the confusion. Also, some of the technologies, such as automated fingerprint imaging systems, require the support of powerful computer systems to perform the millions of comparisons necessary.

There is also the inevitable fear of "Big Brother" lurking behind biometrics. Many people worry that governments and industry will be tempted to use the technology to monitor individual behavior.

The technology’s accuracy is still debatable. The National Institute of Standards and Technology cites Defense Department studies that showing that, in some cases, lighting conditions and even the presence of eyeglasses can throw off certain facial recognition programs.

Aside from these key issues the industry is moving forward. At Disney World in Orlando, annual pass holders breeze through the gates of the Magic Kingdom by placing their hand on a scanner. A growing number of banks, including Texas-based Bank United, the Bank of America and Wells Fargo, are using biometric technology to improve the security of online banking and replace PINs and bankcards at ATMs.

Pensacola-based Cogon Systems is contemplating biometric applications for its HospitalAnywhere©, a Palm Pilot (see article in Jan-Feb issue of Climate) system for interfacing with hospital information systems as a means to improve security and patient privacy.

Intelligent Monitoring Technologies, Inc., of Panama City Beach has developed a working version of a “smart toolbox” that electronically accounts for all tools in the hopes of reducing theft and ensuring no tools are left inside of critical systems such as aircraft engines and subsystems. The company is considering the application of biometrics to help manage access to key tool sets.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office announced that in its first year using an access control iris identification system it had successfully thwarted two inmate escape attempts at the Sarasota County Detention Center. In addition, through using the iris recognition system, it discovered that a third inmate had been admitted under a false identity. The system positively identified the subject, who had three additional arrest warrants under his true name.

Congress has introduced legislation to make it more attractive to obtain biometric systems. According to Doug Kilarski of Sense Holdings (www.senseme.com) a provider of biometric secured authentication and identification systems in Tarmac Florida, “Congressmen Jerry Weller (D-Ill.) and Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) have introduced HR 2970 The Securing America Investment Act of 2001. The bill proposes a tax write-off on the purchase of security devices purchased by taxpayers and businesses. The list of security devices includes biometrics, access control, and surveillance cameras.” This bill is but one of a torrent of bills that have been proposed since Sept 11^th.

In our region the technology’s evolution is still been monitored. Presently, the costs of obtaining state-of-the-art ID systems is prohibitive according to George Collins, the former Emergency Manager of Okaloosa and now the Domestic Security Coordinator for the Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office. “Human nature is to want the magic bullet,” says Collins. Although the Sheriff’s Office has incorporated an automated fingerprint identification system called LiveScan, he reiterates that the rest of the technology incorporating facial recognition is being monitored for the time being. “The priority is fairly high,” he says. “But the technology is still in a prototype stage.”