AutomatedBuildings.com
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Ken Sinclair, AutomatedBuildings.com
Article
prepared for
Andover Controls
September 2002
Using body parts for identification authentication purposes is called Biometrics.
There is a rapid trend to gain access to our buildings using only body parts, whether it be our voice, fingerprint, eye, etc, building access interfaces are getting "up close and personal". It sets the mind to wandering what body parts they might use next? Although many parts can provide data for electronic identification, users remain most comfortable offering their fingertips or voice. Offering these personal parts for identification is done willingly because of our inability to remember yet another password or carry yet another access card. Since we have an obligation to arrive at the front door of our buildings at the same time as our body it seems to be a natural method of identification. Using body parts for identification authentication purposes is called Biometrics.
Whatis.com provides this definition: Biometrics
is the science and technology of measuring and statistically analyzing
biological data. In information technology, biometrics usually refers to
technologies for measuring and analyzing human body characteristics such as
fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand
measurements, especially for authentication purposes. Often seen in
science-fiction action adventure movies, face pattern matchers and body scanners
seem about to emerge as replacements for computer passwords. Fingerprint and
other biometric devices consist of a reader or scanning device, software that
converts the scanned information into digital form, and wherever the data is to
be analyzed, a database that stores the biometric data for comparison with
previous records. When converting the biometric input, the software identifies
specific points of data as match points. The match points are processed using an
algorithm into a value that can be compared with biometric data scanned when a
user tries to gain access. Fingerprint, facial, or other biometric data can be
placed on a smart card and users can present both the smartcard and their
fingerprints or faces to merchants, banks, or telephones for an extra degree of
authentication. IBM, Microsoft, Novell, and others are developing a standard,
called BioAPI, that will allow different manufacturers' biometric software to
interact. There are privacy concerns about the gathering and sharing of
biometric data, however. One suggestion to assuage those with privacy concerns
is to encrypt biometric data when it's gathered and discard the original data to
prevent identity theft. Did you get all that? Thank goodness that this complex
technology is extremely simple to use and this is what is fuelling today's trend
toward biometrics. Costs are dropping daily with real applications increasing.
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Products like the Andover Controls and Nuanceä, Voice Web software are leading examples of using a unique voice-driven user interface for access control. For more info see this article on our web site Want Access to Your Building? Please State Your Name http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/jul02/articles/andv/andv.htm
From an other article on our site Brilliant Security for Intelligent Buildings http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/jun02/art/bioscrypt/bio.htm
This article states: The impact of fingerprint biometrics on security is profound - it verifies individuals rather than the cards they carry. Consider for a moment the importance of that distinction. Historically efforts went into making identity credentials more secure, but buildings and systems remained vulnerable to low tech attacks like lost or stolen credentials. These risks virtually disappear with the use of biometrics. Combining fingerprint biometrics with smart cards or proximity cards elevates security systems to strong, two-factor authentication for the highest levels of security. We call this one-to-one security: one security credential and only one person who can use it. Security managers are not the only winners, system users get a benefit too - life becomes simpler. Fingerprint biometrics solutions replace passwords and PINs with the convenience of touch.
Increased capabilities such as those stated above, the ease of use, and the availability of market ready products deserve your consideration by biometrics for your next access control project.
There is a lot happening in the biometrics field and these real applications are only the tip of the iceberg as to where these technologies will take us in the next few years.
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