BIOMETRICS

Biometrics



Biometrics

Introduction

The term "Biometrics" originates from the Greek words bio, meaning "life", and metric, which means “to measure". This practice has been around in China since the 14th century, to distinguish children by the measurements of their fingers, hands or footprints. In the 19th century, a technique known as 'Bertillonage' named after Alphonse Bertillon the inventor, came into place with the motive of easily identifying and profiling frequent offenders by the measurements of their body. Richard Edward Henry of Scotland Yard developed the fingerprinting process which was already in use by the Chinese. Eventually, the development of fingerprinting and its universal acceptance became widely used as a method for identification.With the advance of technology and the availability of microprocessors in the 20th century, various projects in development produced scanning devices and accompanying software applications thereby creating other methods of biometric measurements such as facial, hand geometry, iris, retina, voice, and signatures etc.

Definition of concepts

According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner's English dictionary, Biometric is “referring to detailed information about someone's body, such as the patterns of colours in their eyes, which can be used to prove who they are.” But it goes beyond this definition.Biometrics is the unique, measurable characteristics or traits that each human being possesses that can be used to automatically recognize them or verify their identity. It is the automatic recognition of a person using distinguishing traits. More concisely, it is “any automated measurable, robust and distinctive physical characteristics or personal trait that can be used to identify an individual or verify the claimed identity of an individual”. To develop this definition in details, I would like to lay emphasis on key features in this definition such as measurable which refers to the traits as quantifiable and therefore can be formatted into a process to ensure matching can occur. Distinctive, depicts that each individual's trait varies and differs from the next. Identification answers the question “who is X?” in a template application called “one to many” search, with the aim of tracking and accounting for individuals, although majority of the times it is used to easily identify criminals, alleged terrorists, immigrants etc. Verification answers the question “is this X?” after the user claims to be X. this verification application requires an input from the user, and is matched on a “one to one” search.

Overview of Biometrics

Biometrics is a technique for identification using physiological characteristics and/or behavioural. This general definition does not allow distinguishing between the uses, which involve risks differentiated: each technology has its advantages (reliability, ability to discriminate between individuals, or singling out, adjusting to varying terrain, weather analysis, etc.) and its risks. First, some biometric data may reveal health, and thereby be used for purposes other than those aimed at the identification. Then, the CNIL distinguishes between technologies “to trace” (fingerprints, DNA) and others (contour of the hand), there they put us at increased risk of identity theft in the sense that we do not have any control over this feature we are introducing in our ...