Bio-metrics Authentication Technique

Editor's Notes

• #5: Biometric is a combination of two Greek words Bio(Life) and Metric(To Measure). It actually measures and analyzes the biological traits of a human being.
• #7: Universality: Every person should have the characteristic. People who are mute or without a fingerprint will need to be accommodated in some way. Uniqueness: Generally, no two people have identical characteristics. However, identical twins are hard to distinguish. Permanence: The characteristics should not vary with time. A person's face, for example, may change with age. Collectability: The characteristics must be easily collectible and measurable. Performance: The method must deliver accurate results under varied environmental circumstances. Acceptability: The general public must accept the sample collection routines. Nonintrusive methods are more acceptable
• #9: Enrollment Mode: A sample of the biometric trait is captured, processed by a computer, and stored for later Comparison. Verification Mode: In this mode biometric system authenticates a person’s claimed identity from their previously enrolled pattern.
• #12: Fingerprint Recognition is the identification by using patterns of friction ridges and valleys on an individual's fingertips which are unique to that individual. A light-sensitive device, either a scanner or camera, takes an analogue image of the fingertip. The image is then digitized and compared with template records that were created during the enrolment process. At the most basic level, these systems work by matching relationships amongst minutiae—the points on fingertips where print ridges end or divide. More complex scanning systems also examine other major features, such as the arch, loop and whorl that appear on the finger. The advantages include: Ease of use—Very little time is required for enrolment with a fingerprint scanning system compared to other biometric devices, such as retina scanners, fingerprint scanners. Uniqueness—As noted previously, fingerprints are a unique identifier specific to the individual. Security—Fingerprints cannot be lost or stolen, and are difficult to reproduce. The disadvantages include: Injury—Injury, whether temporary or permanent, can interfere with the scanning process.
• #13: Face recognition uses the visible physical structure of the face and analyses the spatial geometry of distinguishing features in it to identify an individual. Scanner starts reading the geometry of the face & then plot features on a grid. Then points are transferred as algorithm of numbers . Then comparisons can be quickly made using computer software. Once a match is found an identity can be quickly verified.
• #14: The iris is the colored ring of textured tissue that surrounds the pupil of the eye.
• #15: the first step is for the user to speak a word or phrase into a microphone. The electrical signal from the microphone is digitized by an "analog-to-digital (A/D) converter", and is stored in memory. To determine the "meaning" of this voice input, the computer attempts to match the input with a digitized voice sample, or template, that has a known meaning. This technique is a close analogy to the traditional command inputs from a keyboard. The program contains the input template, and attempts to match this template with the actual input using a simple conditional statement.
• #18: Biometrics directly authenticates the person, not indirectly through a password or token. Biometrics features are difficult to steal; thereby making biometrics authentication very strong. The Biometrics feature is eminently portable, and is unlikely to be lost. Another advantage of biometrics authentication systems is user cannot share or forget his retina or fingerprint, while a password and username are easily forgotten.