Biometrics: The Future of Identification
S. Pankanti, R. Bolle, and A. K. Jain
Guest Editor's Introduction, IEEE Computer, pp. 46-49, February 2000.
Wouldn't you feel better about flying from an airport that could identify criminals wearing disguises? Wouldn't you love to replace password-based access control to avoid having to reset forgotten passwords and worry about the integrity of your system? Wouldn't you like to rest secure in the comfort that your healthcare system does not rely merely on your social security number as proof of your identity for granting access to your medical records?
Because each of these questions is becoming more and more important, access to a reliable personal identification infrastructure is becoming increasingly essential. Conventional methods of identification based on possession of ID cards or exclusive knowledge like a social security number or a password are not altogether reliable. ID cards can be lost, forged, or misplaced; passwords can be forgotten or compromised.
One of the earliest and best-known biometric technologies is fingerprint recognition. Automatic fingerprint-based identification systems have been commercially available since the early 1960s. But until recently those systems were primarily used in forensic applications for investigating criminals. Biometric technology has now become a viable alternative to traditional identification systems in many government and commercial application domains.
In addition to fingerprint recognition technology, other biometric technologies are beginning to emerge. New biometric applications include face (both optical and infrared), hand, finger, iris, retina, signature, and voice recognition. Investigations of other characteristics, like ear, odor, keystroke entry pattern, and gait are under way.