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Identification through hand recognition is based on the geometric shape of the hand. This would include the length and thickness of the digits and the width and radius of the palm. Unfortunately, the hand does not possess enough unique characteristics to be the primary form of verification. Add to that the fact that geometry of the hand may change over time due to injury, aging, or weight gain. Some systems, though, combine the scanning of a finger or palm print to supplement the process. Other systems rely on the entering of a unique passcode at a user keypad (attached to the scanning device) along with the hand comparison to complete the verification. This combination isn't so much used to positively identify a person requesting access as it is to clock them in and out of work. The intended use by these companies is to deter people from clocking in their friends who happen to be running late. Hand-geometry-based systems have been implemented at airports, prisons, and other large-scale locations where the presenting of the hand along with access card/tokens or passcodes will result in a valid entry/exit of a facility.
VOICE PATTERNS
When I was in high school, I had an opportunity to view my voice pattern using an oscilloscope and microphone. My instructor lined up several of my peers and had us each recite a series words into the machine. The intent was to show us how the same word could look very different depending on who said it. The same principle is used in voice recognition technology and focuses on the physical characteristics of your voice.
Currently, a few companies use this technology as a secondary line of identification. The customer, or user, enters a valid personal identification number (PIN) before they are prompted to repeat a few predetermined words for voice pattern comparisons. These words are then matched with a stored collection of words, numbers, or phrases previously recorded by the customer and stored in the system's database. Recorded voiceprints do not take up a lot of hard drive room, but it does take the computer some time to compare the presented voiceprint against a large database of stored prints.
Initial tests of this method are encouraging, but there are a few hurdles to overcome before you see this type of security measure used daily. For one, there is an issue with the use of inexpensive microphones in telephones and intercoms. Poor communication lines, as well as background noises, can also adversely affect the quality of the voice. Another issue to keep in mind is that people's voices are affected by colds, allergies, aging, and severe emotional changes. Still, this technology is used to some degree in home PC processes, network accessing, and banking, and promises to grow as the technology improves.
One final comment on this one method. Despite what you've seen on old Mission Impossible episodes, it is very difficult for someone to imitate someone else's voice patterns without electronic means (taping or other methods of recording). People like legendary impressionist Rich Little may be able to imitate the sound and inflections of their target person, but they are unable to accurately reproduce the frequency and vocal timing of their speech. Incidentally, people who imitate celebrity voices have to exaggerate the voice tone and pattern to help us recognize them, so creating a match is practically impossible.
IRIS SCAN
The iris, or colored portion of the eye, is as unique from one person to another as fingerprints. The iris patterns are formed six months after birth and stabilize at about a year. After that, the patterns remain the same for life. Scanning the iris requires a high-resolution infrared imaging camera, usually positioned no more than 3ft. away from the eye. A low-powered infrared source is used to illuminate the iris before the image is taken. This is an easier method of data collection when compared to a retina scan, but when compared to fingerprint verification, this method is considered expensive and not very practical for the average consumer.
RETINA SCAN
The retina is the thin layer of nerve endings inside the eyeball that captures light and relays it back to the brain for image processing. The retina area includes a pattern of veins (or capillaries) located at the back of the eye. This pattern is unique to an individual. The retina scanning process, like the iris scan, also uses a low-intensity light source, but in this case it's used to illuminate the blood vessels enough for an image to be captured. The issue that arises during the scan is that people are required to remove their glasses, look into the scanning unit, and stare at a specific point or object during the image capture. This scan can take up to 15 seconds depending on the product and may prove to be too intrusive for some. Despite the discomfort, the possibility of faking out a retina scan is almost impossible. There is no known method of duplicating a human retina, and despite some of the more graphic action movies on TV, the retina of a deceased person decays much too quickly to be used for false verification.
HANDWRITING
Handwriting comparison and verification is another interesting method of individual distinction. It's no longer just a matter of forging onto an excuse note your mother's pattern of loops and lines to get out of school for a few hours; now you need to know how she writes. There are two types of signature verification methods offered to the consumer: static and dynamic.
Static signature verification looks at the image of the presented product and compares it to the stored signature. Dynamic signature verification takes into account the speed, pressure of the pen, type of strokes, and duration during the act of signing.
This type of identification is widely used in a simpler form on the back of credit cards, but it relies on the store merchant to compare the signature on the credit card against the signature on your driver's license or purchase receipt. I know from personal experience that hardly anyone looks at my signature because I have not signed the back of any of my credit cards and no one calls me on it. Still, signature verification has always been a quick form of identification that started way back in the olden days when a man's mark was his word.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to this type of verification. The digitized tablet on which the signature needs to be written can be expensive and may prove difficult to locate. Another thing to keep in mind is that there are always inconsistencies to how someone writes their name. These inconsistencies can be blamed on things such as mood swings and lack of patience.
The above methods of biometric verification are the most common I have come across in my field. Others, such as odor, ear structure/dimension, and recording the vein structure of the back of the hand, are being used by some research companies on a limited basis. When you get right down to it, if there is a way to record, convert, and store a mathematical equation of any part of your body for the purpose of biometric verification, someone is looking into it.
Contrary to conspiracy theorists, it is very difficult for someone to have a complete database of our biometric characteristics without our knowledge. The collecting of an individual's biometric information is an involved process and for the most part needs our cooperation. Companies that use various forms of biometric data to verify our identity still have to collect, store, and provide a means to authenticate the presented person's data. Fingerprints can be lifted from almost anything we touch. Voiceprints can be recorded without our knowledge. Our facial structure can be photographed without our knowledge and stored for future reference. This was proven at the 2001 Super Bowl when Tampa, Fla., police scanned the faces of the fans without their knowledge. Their intent was to locate known terrorists in the crowd but the public at large denounced the practice, citing identity theft and intrusion. Of course, the New Orleans police did the same thing at the 2002 Super Bowl, but there were little complaints, the country having just witnessed the horrors of Sept. 11.
CHOOSING A VERIFICATION SYSTEM
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Okay, so now you know a little bit more about the various biometric traits we as individuals possess, but which ones are most suitable for your verification needs? The first thing you need to do is identify the criteria in making a good decision by asking yourself a few questions. What comfort level will your customer or employee need to have for you to collect and record their personal traits? Which process will produce the highest level of accuracy? What will it cost you to implement these methods in the home or workplace? Fingerprints, for example, rank high for accuracy and low cost. Iris and retina scanning rate very high for accuracy but are also very costly. Facial and hand geometry rank high on the comfort level but low on the accuracy chart. It all comes down to what level of verification and authentication you and your customer are willing to invest in.
And speaking of investments, it's interesting to note what the biometric markets are doing these days. Fingerprint verification takes up about 48 percent of the market, with hand and facial verification coming in at 11 percent and 12 percent respectively. According to the 2004 Biometric Group, the biometric revenue was projected to be at $1.2 billion by the end of 2004 and will grow to $4.64 billion by 2008. This is good news for the victims of identity theft, which numbered more than 86,000 in 2001 according to the Federal Trade Commission. The Aberdeen Group estimated there were more than $8.75 billion in related losses in 2002. Of the 6.5 million reported identity theft victims in 2004, 67 percent reported that their credit card accounts were misused. Nineteen percent reported that their checking and savings account were tampered with. Biometric verification can help reduce the number of identity theft victims, but nothing as of yet is foolproof. Since the problem of identity theft won't be going away anytime soon, it's comforting to know there is a growing market just waiting to become part of the mainstream in the field of security, personal protection, and access control.
Steve Filippini is a senior technician with more than 26 years of experience in the security and installation industry.
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