Biometric systems use physical characteristics for identification. For example, a finger print, voice print, retinal pattern, even DNA signatures are being used to provide automatic, and secure, identification of an individual. For areas where high security is required, biometrics may be the answer.

Biometric technology has advanced significantly in recent years. One area where the technology has advanced is in the area of finger, palm and eye recognition. Systems are available which look below the skin to record the pattern of veins in a finger, hand or eye. Veins are dynamic (constantly changing size with blood flow). Use of vein pattern recognition addresses "Big Brother" concerns about privacy (you cannot leave a vein pattern on an object) and spoofing of the system (a favorite feature in spy movies and even demonstrated on "Myth Busters").

Voice recognition is also making significant strides and is being used more widely for telephonic financial transaction/access authentication.

Biometric technologies are not yet exact. Because reading biometric parameters is not 100% certain, users have the option of setting system thresholds somewhat low (allowing the low probability of false acceptance) or high (allowing the possibility of false rejections).

It should be noted that statistical probability is not necessarily the same as the "likelihood" of something occurring. That is, statistically, it's highly probable that two people will have similar (but not identical) fingerprints. However there is a much smaller likelihood that someone wishing to gain unauthorized access has a fingerprint very similar to someone who is authorized.

Not all biometric applications are for high security. In some access control applications (and possibly for credit card authorization in the near future), a fingerchip (fingerprint) reader is more convenient than a system requiring cards, tokens, or PINs. To provide general computer system security, small systems are already available for use with PCs and workstations (facial feature recognition and fingerprint recognition).

For unattended high security areas, a combination of biometric technologies is sometimes used, both with relatively low threshold parameters. Although the probability of false acceptance may exist in each biometric technology because of these settings, used in combination, the probability of false acceptance by both systems is extremely low.

For applications that do not have access to a central database of biometric features, identification cards or tokens storing these features may be used.

Biometrics Advantages:

• Do not exhibit same tendency to errors as humans,
• Do not become distracted
• Cannot be "cooerced,"
• Can operate completely unattended.

• Limited availability of systems,
• Potential for unwarranted rejection,
• Complexity of system installation,
• Cost of systems,
• Length of response time (some systems).

A standard interface (API) is being developed to ease implementation of biometric systems.