Biometric Technologies: An Intelligent Solution

Biometric Technologies: An Intelligent Solution

Everyone always wants the latest and coolest stuff, and this holds true for the computer industry. Many firms eagerly jump into the next big technology so they can say they were there first. This is referred to as being on the leading edge. In recent times, many have believed that biometrics were not on the leading edge, but on the bleeding edge. The bleeding edge is where a technology gets debunked. Biometrics have spent more time than any other technology in recent memory on the bleeding edge.

To a large degree, the biometric industry has been its own worst enemy. Early on, the biometric industry made grandiose claims about the ability of biometrics to authenticate and secure. Many claimed no FARs in the hundredths of millions. Many claimed they could not be spoofed, and that they could enroll anyone . At the same time, the public believed biometric technology to be the "snake oil" of this century.

The truth falls somewhere in the middle. It was true that early biometrics were really nothing more than bright, shiny tools. Lots were sold, one and two at a time, but none was really put into production. At the same time, the industry kept improving the designs and driving down the price. Biometric systems started to get academic scrutiny, and with it came external verifications of claims. Those whose claims could not be substantiated were quickly found out and passed over. Those with realistic claims and expectations continued to seed the marketplace . In recent years , there has been a maturing of the industry and the charlatans and pretenders have been weeded out. What remains is a solidly mature market from which to select biometric solutions.

The procurement of biometrics for strategic corporate research is a good thing, as long as the research group is aware of the limitations and uses of biometric technology. For example, at a busy airport, it might not be prudent to use a finger biometric to check the identities of everyone passing through. This would be too slow, as each person would need to make physical contact with the reader. Facial recognition would work better, as passengers could be screened when entering or exiting a plane. On the other hand, a corporate network security environment is best served by a biometric that is easy to use and widely accepted. In this case, employing a finger biometric is an appropriate and intelligent choice.