Vocabulary of Biometrics:

Biometrics :It is a term that is used alternatively to describe a

characteristic or a process. As a characteristic it is the measure of a
biological and behavioural biometric characteristic of an individual that
can be used for automated recognition.
Recognition: A generic term that is used in the description of biometric
systems pertaining to their one to many fundamental function. The term
'recognition' does not mean the verification.
Biometric Identity: A biometric identity is created when a biometric
sample is used in the place of the name to identify an individual under
consideration. The biometric identity may consist of results of one or more
biometrics for the same particular individual.
Biometric Sample: It is a biological specimen or a representation of the
biometric characteristics prior to when a biometric feature is extracted
from.
Biometric Capture Device: It is a device that collects a signal from a
biometric characteristic and converts them it to a captured biometric
sample.
Biometric Capture Subsystem: It is a biometric capture device and the
sub-processes that are required to execute a biometric capture process.
Speech Recognition: Its a technology that enables a machine to
recognize spoken words.
Speaker Recognition: Its a biometric modality that uses the biometric
subject unique speech, for the recognition purposes. Sometimes it is
referred to as voice recognition but it different from it.
Gallery: It is the biometric systems database, or set of known biometric
subjects, that is used for a specific implementation experiment.
Automated Biometric Identification. System (ABIS) : The generic
term that is used for any biometric identification system that is
automated.
Automated Fingerprint Identification .System (AFIS) : It is a
specialized biometric system that compares a given fingerprint record with
a database of records, to determine the identity of any individual under
consideration. AFIS is mainly used for law enforcement, and also being
used for civil applications. AFIS has been succeeded by ABIS.
Biometric Capture Device: A device that collects a signal from in terms
of a biometric characteristic and converts it into a captured biometric
sample and stores.
Untethered Biometric System: Collection, analysis and usage of
biometric sensors between deployed personnel outside of a robust
command and control architecture.
True Acceptance. Rate (TAR): A statistic used to measure biometric
performance during the verification task. The percentage of times a
system is correctly able to accept a true claim of identification.
True Rejection .Rate (TRR) : A statistic that is used to measure
biometric performance during the verification task. The percentage of
times a system is correctly able to rejects a false claim of identity.
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)
This system provides an automated and latent search capability, electronic

image storage, and also electronic exchange of fingerprints and

responses.
Hand Geometry Recognition A biometric modality which uses the
physical structure of a biometric subject's hand for recognition purposes.
Threshold: A setting for biometric systems which is operating in the
verification or open-set identification tasks. The acceptance or rejection of
biometric data depends on the match score been falling above or below
the threshold. The threshold is adjusted accordingly so that the biometric
system can be more accurate, depending on the requirements of any
given biometric application.
Transaction: A group of records with information and biometric data
pertaining to a particular individual that is transmitted and/or stored as a
complete unit.
Tactical Collection Device (TCD): A portable system that is used to
capture data that represent biometric characteristics of an individual. The
system also provides the capability to collect, store, match, share, and
manage biometric information and enable a decide/act capability.
Sensor: They refer to the hardware which is found on the biometric
device that converts biometric input into a digital or analog signal and
conveys this information to the processing device.
Liveness Detection: A technique used to ensure that biometric sample
which is submitted is from a living biometric subject.
Segmentation: The process of parsing the biometric signal of interest
that is from the entire acquired data system collected.
Palm Print Recognition A biometric modality that uses physical
structure of the biometric subject's palm print for recognition purposes.
Closed-set Identification Its a biometric task where an unidentified
biometric subject is known to be in the database and the system attempts
to determine their identity. Performance is measured in terms of the
frequency with which the biometric subject appears in the top rank for the.
Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) It is both a program and a
software tool is used by the FBI, distributed over three hierarchical levels
National, State and Local Index Systems that enables state and local law
enforcement crime laboratories to be able to exchange and compare the
DNA profiles electronically.
Detainee Reporting System (DRS) Its a system that is.designed to
support the processing of prisoners and those who are detainees.
Face Recognition A biometric modality that uses imaging of the visible
physical structure of a biometric subject's face for recognition purposes.
False Acceptance Rate (FAR) its a statistic which is used to measure
biometric performance during the verification task. The percentage of
times a system is able to produce a false acceptance that occurs when a
biometric subject is incorrectly matched to another biometric subjects
existing biometric sample.
Iris Recognition A biometric modality that uses the image of the physical
structure of a biometric subject's iris for recognition purposes.
Multimodal Biometric System A biometric system comprising of two or
more of the modality components like biometric characteristic, sensor type
or feature extraction algorithm.
Tactical Collection Device (TCD) A portable system that is used to
capture data that represent biometric characteristics of an individual. The

system provides capability to collect, store, match, share, and manage

biometric information and enable a decide/act capability.

Economics of Biometrics:
A persons fingerprint is unique. This is where biometric authentication systems
pitch in. With higher level of security than any other type of access system,
biometric authentication system is need of the hour. With biometric
authentication in place, it has become highly difficult to cheat the system.
Biometric access control systems basically use handprint, fingerprint and/or iris
scanning to allow people/employees to gain access to a building or to a restricted
area. They are popular with the companies and organizations that deal with
proprietary and highly sensitive kind of information.
The higher level of security that biometric access control systems provide comes
with a higher price. A single biometric access door can be worth as high as
$12,000. But, if security is one of your main concerns, it is worth paying the
extra buck to prove a persons identity.
As the price of biometric authentication system is heavily dependent on factors
such as the size of the building/restricted area, level of staffing, etc., most
dealers do a site visit before quoting a price for a biometric authentication
control system.
Generally, prices could range from as low as $5,000 to as high as $10,000 per
door for an entire system consisting of a biometric scanner; a specialized and
customized lock system and software installation and integration. However, the
price of hardware alone like a fingerprint scanner would cost around $1,200 to
$1,500. This is double the cost of a card reader.
The usage of biometrics systems was originally restricted to large corporations
and the government and it also cost them tens of thousands of dollars to put it in
place. Due to its high price, small and medium businesses could not afford it. But
due to the scaling down of prices, even small businesses and individuals now can
afford these devices. This occurrence leads analysts to believe that the use of
biometrics will spread over the next decade or so, and that the technology will
become prevalent and widespread.
Several developments had taken place in the recent past that assures that this
technology is on the path of a bright future. Consider the digital signature
legislation passed in the year 2000 which urges biometric authentication to be
used instead of written signature. This has to be considered legally binding on
documents.
Moreover, Microsoft has also announced that its support for the biometric
technology in the upcoming versions of Windows, making it easier to build
Internet and network servers that would be able to accept the biometric
identifications.
Thus, biometric authentication method can be rightly said to be on the slope of
enlightenment.

Challenges in Biometrics:
Biometric is an advanced technology but it still has some challenges.
1) Robustness All the test on biometric system are done in a controlled
environment. In real life application the surroundings of the technology
plays a very important role in authenticating a person. The face
recognition system is tested in a closed room with the right amount of
light that is required for recognition. In real life there can be extra amount
of light which may hinder the recognition process. The fingerprint scanner
requires a clean finger which needs to be rightly placed in the scanner.
The real time application would require a person to follow the guidelines
otherwise it would be difficult to for the system to scan the finger. The
retina scanner scans the eye of the person but if the person is diabetic
then the eye of that person gets affected which would result in failure in
detection by the scanner.
2) Spoofing/Mimicry The technology is not full proof. Spoofing of finger print
can be done using high end technologies. High end technologies can be
used to create duplicate fingerprint which can bypass the system. Also in
voice recognition system an imitation of voice can be done to bypass the
system.
3) Cost of using the technology The cost of using the technology is very
high. Facial scan technology and retinal scanner requires good quality
image. The good quality image can only be taken through powerful
camera, which requires high cost along with high maintenance cost. All the
biometric technology requires high end IT technologies to recognise the
person quickly. Apart from hardware and software cost, an organisation
needs to bear cost related to new enrolment of the id and also the cost in
training the employees.
4) Resistance to new technology There can be resistance from users over
the use to biometric technology. People believe that the use of username
and password is far easier than the use of biometric technology.

Opportunities for Biometrics:

Biometric technology has huge potential for growth. It can be used at multiple
locations and for multiple purpose. It can be used as airports, schools, hospitals,
police stations, and private and government offices. Though this technology is
widely used in developed countries, it is still to be used widely in developing
countries. It is basically a security system and it can be used to enhance security.
At airports it can be used to gain access and therefore you can easily avoid the
queues where personal details are checked. In school it can be used to check
attendance and also it would prevent unauthorised access to in the building. In
medical industry, it can be used to map your health information. This can
therefore be used to retrieve your past health condition data in a much faster
and easier way. Doctors can easily map your health information which can be
used in future. In police stations, it can be used to recognise the criminals.

Detection and identification will be much easier when biometric technology is

used. In government and private companies this technology can be used to
restrict access to unauthorised people. Though this technology is already in use
for this purpose, it can be used widely and extensively for more security.