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Los Angeles Airport to Use ImageWare Biometric Identity Management and Credential Suite

mikkel — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:28:11 +0000

Announced today, January 30, 2012, the Los Angeles Airport has placed orders for ImageWare Biometric equipment. A leader in multimodal biometric security solutions, this company has provided Biometric software for thousands of major companies and organizations. Representative Jim Miller, ImageWare CEO and Chairman states:

”ImageWare is proud to play a role in enhancing security at one of the world’s busiest airports. Using our patented biometric management capability, we look forward to working with LAWA to create a model system for airports around the globe.”

Makers are hoping to expand to other airports across the world, large and small, by proving themselves in the LAWA airport. By preparing themselves for worldwide distribution, ImageWare hopes to help with national ID’s, passports, driver’s licenses, smart cards, and just about everything else imaginable in the world of identification.

Readers are still cautious about how far ImageWare will go, and they are understandably cautious about buying stock in this company and otherwise investing. However, things look good, and this may be a wise investment for the average consumer who wants to be on the cutting edge.

So far, the prospects are looking good. Future news releases may emerge, and we will know more in the future about exactly where this particular business is going. This deal complies with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This business, like any other, is still subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Because of this, before you think of investing in ImageWare, you will have to do the research for yourself and see if this company is one that you see as worth getting into.

No doubt, there will be some concerns about privacy and different kinds of invasion as it were. However, so far, we find that many consider greater and greater security measures to be a part of going to the airport and a part of that kind of travel, along with rising costs.

Biometric Program Causes Prison Standstill

mikkel — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:21:44 +0000

Every time inmates in HMP Isis in London move from one area of the prison to another, they have to provide a thumb print, which keeps everything in line. But this doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to. If just one thumb print fails, the whole system can fall apart. So there is absolutely no room for error, especially with some more dangerous than others.

The whole prison system comes down for hours, and guards have to conduct manual checks to make up for any discrepancies, which inspectors say happens at least once or twice a day on average. Inspectors warned officials before the opening in July of 2010 that there was still a “long way to go.” They described “formidable challenges” and a lot of the things that are now happening, despite constant progress.

According to the report,

“For the system to work, 100% of the prisoners, 100% of the time had to leave an electronic thumbprint when they went from one area of the prison to another and the system had to record this every time. If just one thumb print fails to register, the roll check did not tally and all prisoner movement halted – sometimes for hours –until a manual check could be done. “

Obviously, that’s not going off as seamlessly as we would like, especially in a prison.

Isis is currently the first public prison under Nick Hardwick to open in the past 20 years. There has been a lot of progress, but not without cost. Officials are still trying to work out quite a few of the major bugs that are holding this prison back. Until these bugs are worked out, others are unlikely at best to follow suit.

The guards are learning new systems and ways to deal with the chaos, but the learning is slow and guards still have a ways to go to lower their own personal risk and the risk. This is still a volatile population, even with major improvements in new technology.

Biometrics to Replace Passwords

mikkel — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:41:24 +0000

Ever worry that your password is too generic or you don’t know how to remember a password based on all of the requirements many companies are putting in place to try to protect you? Obviously, even if a site requires for example a password that has both letters and numbers, a lot of people might use Password123, which is extremely predictable at best.

While not necessarily hack proof (the right hacker could infiltrate even a complicated system), biometrics make everything personalized in a way that would be difficult to duplicate. According to IBM scientists, biometric passwords may even emerge within the next 5 years!

Everything from DNA to retinas and fingerprints can be used, and while you probably won’t be able to use biometrics on for example your blog, there’s no reason that we couldn’t program things like iPads, phones, and other electronic devices to require biometric passwords. These kinds of innovations could make it much easier to prove that you are you.

Originally, biometrics were not necessarily as accurate as they are now. We didn’t know if we could actually rely on them. However, considering the fact that India has started a massive biometrics census project to document all residents over the age of 15, we know more than we ever did before. If done correctly, India could have an unheard of knowledge of its actual population. Universal ID cards will be created with the promise being that this will streamline Indian lives.

Everything from taking out loans for school to paying taxes will be that much easier and accessible.

Scientists have developed more and more ways to weed out the fakers, stop hackers, and prevent mistakes. There are entire departments entirely devoted to spotting faked irises, faces, and even fingerprints. Early fingerprint scanners were not sophisticated enough to pick up on many of the fakes, but things are improving quickly.

Butt Biometrics: Is Your Butt Really That Unique?

mikkel — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:45:08 +0000

Biometric techniques such as fingerprinting and even eye scans make sense. Those particular organs are usually quite unique to the individual, and we have no reason to think these days that these technologies are not well developed. However, with the butt, weight loss and weight gain can significantly change the size, width, and weight off the butt and the body in general, which is why we find this one somewhat doubtful, at least on the surface.

However, according to Japanese car makers and dealers, this technology can be used to protect cars from theft.” Covered on verge.com, Shigeomi Koshimizu, an associate professor at the Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology in Tokyo has developed this particular technology to change the way that we look at cars.

This particular method of biometrics uses a seat pressure map to generate 39 different measurements to determine if this is the actual car owner’s butt or not. So far, the average false reject rate is only 2.2%, and the false accept rates are even lower at 1.1%. These kinds of effects and numbers are encouraging to say the least.

Some suggest that this may actually be a more promising option than past biometric methods. Fingerprints and facial recognition for example can rely on environmental factors and change accordingly. However, they state that the buttocks is relatively unchanging, something we still find relatively hard to believe, especially with changes in age and for women, during things like pregnancy.

However, the tests speak for themselves. What can we say? It may be like feet where the pressure points, regardless of changes in size or fat, remain basically the same. Obviously, this would not be as widespread as foot measurements. A lot of people have similar foot problems. Science makes it seem that butt biometrics may be the way to go.

Biometrics in the Developing World

mikkel — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:07:56 +0000

While biometrics are generally thought of as expensive and exclusively for developed nations, biometrics are making a big splash in the developing world. Biometic projects are taking way, giving citizens in lower class society a viable chance to become part of economic and social growth in their own country. In countries such as India, approaches like this are really taking hold.

In India, the Unique ID project in particular has been used to identify all citizens by number with a biometric marker such as an iris or fingerprint scan. This system has been referred to as a real way to bring real citizenship and give even lower caste members a chance to be part of the society and economy in a way they have never been able to before. This system even gives all nationals access to formal banking.

There are some issues in countries such as India, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Afghanistan, all developing countries. There are some biometric systems that are currently struggling with ghost workers, which are by definition made up workers, people who are collecting paychecks for not actually doing anything at all.

Countries are using biometrics to address this problem by registering all public employees and eliminating anyone who is not enrolled or for that matter people who have registered before. These types of programs have been implemented in 15 countries so far. Nigeria alone has used this system to eliminate 43,000 ghost employees. Government officials expect to eliminate 107,000 more ghost employees from the police force alone.

This kind of system is far superior to manual systems used to weed out ghost workers from those who were actually fulfilling a job requirement. However, many expect that true differences will happen over time, especially in countries such as India, where the population is so significant. However, it is expected that within a short period of time, this system will literally save governments as much as $23 billion per year.

Accurate Biometrics Awarded Fingerprint Channeling Contract with the FBI

mikkel — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:34:41 +0000

Based in Chicago, Accurate Biometrics has now been awarded a contract with the American FBI. The largest fingerprint service provider in the US, this is the second contract awarded to this company associated with the FBI. For the next 5 years, Accurate Biometrics will be working with the FBI to make sure that the US government is up to date on the latest innovations in Biometrics, ideally protecting national security.

Accurate Biometrics was historically the first group to provide fingerprints for individuals who want a review of their FBI criminal history or verification that a related criminal record does not exist. Now referred to as Departmental Order 556-73, this process is being used in immigration and visas as well as adoptions including international adoptions.

Before hiring Accurate Biometrics, FBI criminal history reviews could take up to 8 weeks at a time. However, Accurate Biometrics is currently able to offer same day services and results for the same exact information in its Chicago office and a wait time of less than 5 days when scanned from one of the other 60 fingerprint sites in Illinois or through US mail.

Accurate Biometrics also holds a contract with the state of Illinois for Master fingerprinting. Currently serving 2000 clients, Accurate Biometrics is currently a female owned small business.

“As the new contract term steps off, we are honored to serve the national and international biometrics community with our knowledge of the industry and opportunity to meet the needs of our clients through channeling and departmental order processing.” Peggy Critchfield, Accurate Biometrics president.

Different Forms of Biometrics

mikkel — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:08:55 +0000

Biometrics are typically associated with finger scans, retina scans, and even voice recognition. However, some are turning biometrics into a more complicated system involving DNA identification. DNA is considered to be unique to a single person, much like fingerprints are, but more so. Some elements of DNA can be more complicated. However, when compared on a more specific basis, DNA analysis can be used in large governmental organizations and other businesses that are serious about privacy.

Ear recognition for example measures size, shape, and structure, but people could share similar enough ear shapes and sizes to fool the machines. Ears are not nearly as unique as DNA or a fingerprint, which is pretty typical. Facial recognition has always been more popular than ear recognition for a reason.

Likewise, gesture recognition has been used, because each person has relatively unique mannerisms and body language used on a natural basis. Even something as simple as the way you walk can be analyzed from a distance. It’s hard to recognize, but the right computers can break it down and information can be collected unobtrusively.

Gesture recognition can provide authentication, and it’s not quite as unique as one might think, but it is also harder to fake than some other options. The way a person walks provides a lot of data, and it can be stored in real time with the right cameras.

Finally, some are starting to use typing and mouse recognition for individual computers. Things like keystroke length, typing speed, error patterns, and mouse movements can all be measured to a certainty, effectively separating one person’s natural patterns from another’s over time. When only one person works on a given computer and the information on that computer is sensitive to one or even two people, this can become invaluable in protecting each individual computer rather than a whole office with say one password that can be hacked by the right person.

Delay in US Biometrics Passports

mikkel — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:34:51 +0000

While there is no current policy in place, foreign visitors to the United States may be required in the future to provide fingerprint or iris scans when entering the country. The idea started during the Bush administration in 2005, and it still has yet to come to fruition. However, the idea is to monitor terrorists and others who may be of danger to the country.

27 nations currently enjoy visa-free travel rights to the United States and have restricted these biometric based methods of identification, believing that it violates personal privacy. However, the biggest concern for the US is still the costs that would be required to sponsor this particular program.

The idea is that the visa-waiver nations will be required to give each citizen passports that have tamperproof digitized photos that comply with tightening US borders because of the 2001 terror attacks. In addition, those passports will have to have circuit chips that also store biographic information for US homeland security according to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

According to Chertoff, “We are committed in the US, as our partners are, to have secure and verifiable travel documents.” However, we find it interesting that US border patrol authorities do not currently have plans to enforce the same standards when it comes to US citizens traveling within or outside of the US. Still, authorities believe that this approach will “maintain and strengthen the integrity of the visa waiver program.”

Of course, top democrats have cautioned many that this method of tracking won’t necessarily ward off terrorists, and we may pay more money to fight the same problems. However, the idea is to make changes and see how it goes.

Yes, the biometric passport may be useful in identifying a person’s real identity or at least their stated identity. We are sure that some will find ways to get fake passports still the same. However, it does not keep terrorists out of the country, and it cannot help us to monitor terrorists we don’t necessarily know about as of yet.

Keeping Track of Criminals

mikkel — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:05:25 +0000

Noble County will be the first county in Indiana to integrate biometrics to track unique qualities of the human eye. The department has purchased its first biometric device, which looks almost exactly like a digital camera, and it is being used to fight crime and track sex offenders. It is used to take shots of the irises of sex offenders and people booked into the local jail.

This unique set of information is put into an international database to track these individuals, and any others using the same database can get an almost immediate match. According to Noble County Sheriff Doug Harp, “You still have to have probable cause to suspect that someone is not telling you the truth. This is meant strictly as a tool to assist law enforcement to deal with the criminal element of society.”

According to Harp, this is also meant to protect the people in society who are not criminals.

Thousands of people are already in this particular database across quite a few nations, and more than 370 agencies in the US currently use the system including Los Angeles and a number of countries across the Southwest.

So far, it seems to be doing well and Sheriff Harp suspects that other counties in Indiana will soon follow suit. According to Hart, “As they have the ability to do financially, they’d be foolish not to.”

This biometric device is currently produced by B12 Technologies, founded out of Plymouth, Massachusetts. It typically costs police stations and others who would like to use it between $9,000 and $10,000. Currently, the money to fund this for this Indiana county has come out of funds raised through commissary sales at the county jail.

Next-Generation Biometric Enrollment Application for the Department of Justice

mikkel — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:46:27 +0000

A global provider of Biometric technology, Aware Inc. is now designing imaging and biometric software for the Department of Justice. Referred to as the Next-Generation Universal Automated Booking Station or “Universal ABS”, this biometric enrollment application is taking Biometrics to the next level.

It is designed to be flexible, modular, and easily configured as opposed to the hardcoded applications of the past. The Department of Justice no longer has to sacrifice ease of maintenance, and Aware Inc. hopes to market this to other businesses around the world in the future. It uses a Windows based browser, avoiding the traditional and brittle workstation design, supporting better workflow, functionality, and peripherals.

Aware will present this idea at the Biometric 2011 Exhibition and Conference in London between October 18 and 20th.

It currently includes Biocomponents including TextComponent, FingerprintComponent, FaceComponent, FormComponent, PrintComponent, and SubmitComponent. Each is packaged with Java or .net user control. More information can be found at www.aware.com/biocomponents.

Who Is Aware?

Aware is an industry leading technology and supplier for telecommunications and biometrics. It has set the standard in telecommunications standards, winning many government contracts in the past. Telecom equipment vendors and phone companies have long used Aware Inc., being a veteran in these major areas.

Aware continues to put out new technologies, both for government and private entities, and it continues to set new standards specifically in Biometrics.