What is biometrics?
While biometrics may sound like something out of a Science Fiction movie,
it is very much our reality. There is a lot goes into what biometrics is and
how it works. Before we can fully dive into everything that biometrics is,
let’s first define it.
Biometrics definition:
Biometrics is the measurement and analysis of someone’s unique physical and
behavioral characteristics. This technology is used for identification (figuring out who
someone is) and authentication (someone is who they say they are).
For someone to prove their identity, they need to:
1. Possess something specific - like a card, badge, or keycard
2. Know something specific - like a name or password
3. Using something specific on your body - like your fingerprint, face, or
eyes
How does biometrics work?
There’s no denying that biometrics seems complicated, but in reality, all
biometrics systems use the same three steps:
1. Enrollment: The first time a biometric system is used, it records
basic information about you. This could be your name or an
identification number. It will then capture an image or record a
specific trait.
2. Storage: Instead of storing the complete image or recording, the trait
that was recorded is analyzed and translated into a line of code or a
graph.
3. Comparison: The next time you encounter the system, it compares
the trait you present to the information it has stored on file. The
system will then either accept or reject who you claim to be.
There are also three main components to all biometric systems:
1. A sensor that detects the characteristic used for identification
2. A computer that reads and then stores this information
3. Software that analyzes the characteristic, converts it into a graph or
a line of code, and begins the actual comparisons
Did you know: The term biometrics comes from the Greek
words bio meaning life and metric meaning to measure.
Types of biometrics
Biometrics isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of technology. There are many ways
biometrics is used to identify if a person is really who they say they are. A
biometric identifier typically falls into two categories: physical identifiers and
behavioral identifiers.
Physical identifiers are limited to a certain fixed set of characteristics, while
behavioral ones have limits in human imagination. Both can be used to
distinguish between a human and a robot. Some behavioral characteristics
would be typing patterns, physical movements, and navigational patterns.
Let’s explore the most common types of physical identifiers.
Facial recognition
Facial recognition is when software is used that maps an individual's
facial features and then stores the data of these features. A facial
recognition system will use biometrics to map the face and compare it with
a database to find a match.
Using face detection, face capture, and face match, this technology
analyzes over 80 elements of the human face. In addition to Apple’s Face
ID, facial recognition is used by Facebook, thanks to their DeepFace
software, which can identify a specific person in any new photo we upload
onto the social network platform.
Fingerprints
Another popular type of biometrics is the use of our fingerprints. An
obvious example of this is the previous models of the iPhone, which used
Touch ID before they moved over to Face ID. You’ll also find this when you
go to Disney theme parks, as they’ll ask you to scan one of your
fingerprints before entering. At airports, too.
Fingerprints are typically used to authenticate someone, rather than identify
someone - which is what Disney parks do to allow admittance to different
areas of the park. Similarly, some organizations use fingerprint scanners
instead of timecards.
These systems use a digital camera and light. Once a user places their
finger on the flat surface, the software aligns the print against several pegs
to ensure a correct reading. There are over 30 specific points (called
minutiae) in a fingerprint that a scanner will obtain for identification.
Iris recognition
Iris scanning, or iris recognition, uses a digital camera, visible light, and
near-infrared light., When the eye is between 3-10 inches from the camera,
the computer works to locate:
The center of the pupil
The edge of the iris
The edge of the pupil
The eyelids and eyelashes
The pattern of the iris is then translated into a line of code. Iris scanning is
becoming increasingly popular in the security realm, as the chance of
mistaking one iris code for another is 1 in 10 to the 78th power. There are
also over 200 points of reference, as opposed to 60-70 in fingerprints.
When I think of iris recognition and fingerprint scanning, it brings me back
to this scene from Charlie’s Angels, where Drew Barrymore and Cameron
Diaz infiltrate Redstar in disguise.
