Biometrics:
A New “Look” at Iris Recognition Technologies
Bryan Ichikawa, Vice President of Identity Solutions
Point of View
The September 11, 2001 attacks spurred increased interest
in the use of biometric technologies to improve the security
of visa and immigration documentation and government-issued
identification card programs. Unlike traditional identification
methods, which require individuals to present an identification
card, a personal identification number (PIN) or a password,
biometric identifiers rely on unique biological information
about an individual, which is much more difficult to falsify.
Iris recognition technology − a form of biometric technology
that uses pattern-recognition techniques and high-resolution
images of an individual’s iris − generated significant initial
interest because it is a highly accurate and less intrusive
system for identification and verification than fingerprinting
and other methods. Nearly 80 percent of the 1,000 U.S.
residents surveyed for the Unisys Security Index, released in
October 2009, said that they would be willing to use iris
recognition technology. Widespread adoption remains elusive,
particularly in the public sector, due to concerns about
interoperability between various iris recognition technologies
and a desire to avoid “vendor lock-in,” or standardizing on a
single vendor’s solution.
A recent initiative, however, may pave the way for expanding
the use of iris technology in defending the homeland and
ensuring the protection of sensitive data. Earlier this year,
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sponsored
a project that demonstrated the ability to integrate multiple
iris recognition technologies on a single platform, eliminating
the need for DHS and other organizations to limit iris recognition
capabilities to a single vendor. The ability to integrate iris
recognition technologies from multiple vendors will provide
organizations and programs, such as the DHS US-VISIT
program, with expanded options as they advance their
security objectives.
Combined with advances in iris technology, the DHS
demonstration project has opened the door for new use
cases in the public sector. For example, technology from
various vendors enables iris capture in three different modes:
close proximity, from a distance (several feet away) and in-motion.
By integrating these various solutions on a single platform,
government agencies could have the flexibility to identify
individuals as they move through a facility. For example, the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) could identify individuals as they enter
a facility, such as an airport, or as they are standing in line
at a security checkpoint or customs area, providing agents
with information about the individual before they even reach
the checkpoint. They could also leverage biometrics in a
mobile environment, using handheld devices to capture an
individual’s iris image and enabling greater flexibility.
Multi-vendor interoperability of iris recognition technology
has launched a new frontier for biometrics use in the public
sector − eliminating the constraints of vendor lock-in and
enabling stronger identification and authentication to improve
homeland, asset and data security. With rapidly evolving
capabilities and proven interoperability, iris recognition
security mainstay.
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Printed in the United States of America 12/09 BL09-0208