Biometrics Security News and Information

The Emerging Field Of The Media And Biometrics

The Media World Once Again

In the past few weeks, I have written several Postings with regard to an emerging field not only for Biometrics, but possible for the Biometrics Industry as a whole.  And that, is the use of Biometrics and other subsets of it for gauging customer response to advertisements and commercials. The basic premise is that in focus group studies conducted prior to the launch of a particular commercial or a product line, examining how a potential customer will respond is key in determining the most effective marketing strategy possible (at least in theory, we all know that the marketing world can be a topsy turvy one). 

Well, today’s Posting provides an update to this new and emerging area of Biometrics.  Here are the details of it I found in a Press Release today:  “Innerscope Research, Inc. and Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) have released new biometric research on the roles of television and online media in creating and extending brand equity. Using Innerscope's Brand Immersion Model, a framework for defining the relationship between the immersive platform of TV and the web's flexibleplatform, the research found that TV, through its unmatched ability to create new, unconscious emotional connections, has the power to form need states — which make consumers receptive to brand messages — where none existed before. FOX and Innerscope Research tested this "connection creation" process by comparing exposure to brands unfamiliar to U.S. audiences within the context of TV and online rich media. They found that TV's heightened ability to engage and sustain unconscious emotional response confirmed it as the medium best able to create personal relevance and, therefore, brand equity.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8920/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

First it should be noted that the lead market research firm in this study (as well as others) is known as “Innerscope Research”.  In it, 240 subjects were chosen for this study, and these participants viewed some 18 brands (based out of the United States) across 3 major broad advertising segments, which include:  1)  Automotive sector; 2) Technology sector; 3) Entertainment sector.  Also, 6 overseas brand campaigns (those not originating from the United States) were also presented to the participants.  But, this study is quite different than from the other studies I have written about. 

And that is, the participants were given both online media as well as traditional television media (a combination of these were utilized) from which they could create the impressions, and from there, quantified by the researchers.  The results of this study actually surprised me. Given the advent of social media today, one would think that the online media world would be the one that would make the strongest impression upon potential customers.  But, rather the contrary was found.  For instance, it is a combination of both which creates the strongest brand impression in the minds of a potential customer, with the traditional television medium having a stronger impact between the two. 

But even more surprising to me, it was found that “content synergy”, between the two forms of medium (traditional television ads and all of the online media stuff) which had the highest net resultant impact in the eyes of the potential customer. This is what will make the most effective marketing strategy for any marketing department:  “the most effective advertising leverages common content and brand synergy across the two media, extending the impact and value of both by invoking and reinforcing the environment where the original association was created.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8920/). 

In other words, put the same content across the two media for maximum impact and results.  For instance, according to the Press Release, when this content synergy was used, the emotional response was 48 times greater than just using online ad methods, and the brand image was remembered by the potential customer 4 times greater.  Even more statistics can be seen at the Press Release, just click on the link above.  But as the study also found, in order to get a potential customer to actually purchase a product or service, the Vendor (whom ever it is, the specific industry does not matter) you have to also hit upon their various “need points”, also known as in the traditional marketing mediums as the “pain points” of a customer. 

Whatever ultimately happens here, the bottom line is that Biometrics will continue to play a very dominant role not only now, but also into the future of marketing research and advertising campaigns.  While nobody can ascertain 100% the buying decision behavior of a customer, at least trying to see how they react to certain commercials and brands will be key-and which Biometrics can provide this clue in this ever changing and dynamic world of consumer behavior.  Heck, who knows, there could be  a new field now emerging in the Biometrics Industry called “Bio-Marketing”.

Breaking News Headlines From The Biometrics Industry

Some Major News Headlines

Well, in my view, it has been a rather dull week thus far in the Biometrics Industry.  I kind of wonder why this is happening.  If anything, I bet you it is because the summer months are now starting to roll in (it’s even hard to fathom that it is almost summer time, heck the days of that horrible blizzard we had back in February still haunt me).  When summer comes, most businesses ten to slow down-remember the old adage the “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer?”  Well it perfectly hits the Biometrics Industry.  I expect the next major uptick in terms of business to hit in the fall time.  This is when some of the major Biometrics Conferences occur, and this further spawns interest amongst visitors, inquiring people, and most importantly, paying customers.  So, here are some of the major headlines from this week.

The Century Mark Reached

A Biometrics Vendor known as “MaxID” has just announced that it has sold its 1,000^th mobile device in South Africa.  Here some details:  “MaxID,  provider of mobile identity solutions, is pleased to announce that it has won a 1000-unit sale of its iDL500 units in South Africa . . . The iDL500 is a multi-modal, rugged mobile computer that offers a complete set of features - including QWERTY keyboard, contact card, contactless card, barcode, optical fingerprint, and optional magnetic swipe and MRZ readers with a digital camera, GPS, and comprehensive communications capabilities such as 3G, GSM and WiFi. The iDL500 is a complete, integrated mobile solution for all field-based identity and fingerprint verification, field enrollment and identity management requirements.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8909/). 

As you can see from this quote, this is a rather rugged Biometrics solution.  It appears that Fingerprint Recognition is the primary choice of technology here.  Not only does it offer this and the wireless capabilities, but it also offers a whole suite of communications and Security technologies, ranging from the 3G network to a digital camera, to even barcodes and Smartcards.  This is a perfect solution for the rugged terrains of South Africa (although I have never personally visited South Africa, I have some contacts in the Biometrics Industry who do work there-and they have vouched about how jagged the landscape can be). 

It is one of those countries where people live in the remotest of places, so again, this Biometrics solution is just ideal for reaching these people, especially when it comes time to register them into any type or kind of national database.  But hey, reaching the century mark for any business is truly a milestone, and my hats off to this Biometrics Vendor.  Hopefully they will continue to see rising sales of this solution, but most importantly, meet the needs of the South African people.

More Biometric Evaluations

Remember I keep harping about the need, especially here in the United States, for evaluations to take place for Biometrics products and solutions???  The reason  I am so adamant about this is that it is very important a common set performance standards to exist so that the customer can make informed choices, without any outside biasness, about the type of Biometrics solution they really need.  Because of the lack of standards, many Biometrics Vendors can easily tout how great their products and solutions really are. 

So, one such test, is at times conducted by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, also known as “NIST” for short.  A Biometrics Vendor known as “Morho” has just announced the results of how its solution fared in a recent evaluation.  Again, here are the details:  “Morpho (Safran group) today announced that its fingerprint recognition algorithms have been ranked number one in the two most recent National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) MINEX II (Match-on-Card) and Ongoing MINEX evaluations. Morpho’s algorithms excelled in both accuracy and interoperability under all conditions . . . Morpho’s technology previously demonstrated its superiority in the NIST ELFT-EFS and PFT evaluations. With these two additional achievements, Morpho further demonstrates the excellence of its fingerprint technology in all NIST evaluation programs conducted over the last few years.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8894/). 

NOTE: 

MINEX II stands for  Minutiae Exchange;

ELFT-EFS stands for  Evaluation of Latent Fingerprint Technologies - Extended Feature Sets;

PFT stands for  Proprietary Fingerprint Template.

It should also be noted that NIST is a  highly regarded testing and evaluation laboratory not only in the Federal Government, but also in the private sector as well, so these evaluations and results do carry a lot of merit to them, and it should be highly regarded from within the Biometrics Industry, and translated down to the level of the potential customer. 

Dentistry Is Not About Teeth, It's Also About Security

The World Of Dentistry

As I have written in many previous Postings, and even up to last week being the most recent, Biometrics is one of those Security Technologies which touches on a lot of different aspects of our lives, other than just the world of Security.  For instance, when except for fortifying your network infrastructure, when was the last time a Network Intrusion Device (also known as “NIDS”) impacted your daily life, or even social life???  Probably never.  But Biometrics can, and will have an impact.  One aspect of our daily lives with which Biometrics is starting to play a dominant role is in the medical field. 

Because of recent mandates and Federal Legislations, Biometrics is being used to secure our medical records and information.  While this is a good thing obviously, it can really be a pain in the neck on the opposite end, especially for us, when we need to access our patient data immediately. Very often now, you need to provide multiple levels of ID in order to prove who you are.  Well, hopefully the future use of Biometrics will alleviate that headache of the medical realm.  But now, Biometrics is making its impact into another world of medicine (perhaps maybe a stretch), and this is the world of dentistry. 

As usual, here are the details of this:  “HID Global, provider of solutions for the delivery of secure identity, today announced that the company’s network access control and biometric reader solutions have been selected by the Dental Council of India (DCI) to streamline their time and attendance management system. The new, centralized identification system with biometrics also increased overall security by eliminating the potential unauthorized use of access cards . . . The DCI deployed SmartID and EDGEPlus E400 IP-based access controllers in over 290 dental colleges across the country, and the new solution enables the DCI to both monitor their database in real-time and centrally record faculty attendance, resulting in a 50% savings in operational costs and fewer human errors. HID Global and OEM partner Rasilant Technologies provided a standardized central identification system that authenticates cardholders’ identities using biometric technology that ultimately eliminated inaccurate accounting of attendance and also reduced errors in salary calculation. The web-based system also enables up-to-the-minute record transmittal to a central server, avoiding the falsification of records . . . The goal of the project was to forward the council's vision of ensuring education in dental colleges around the country is fairly distributed. The solution provided a critical attendance function for faculty members visiting other colleges and supports government guidelines by ensuring they only taught at their designated colleges.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8907/). 

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Woops, I did forget to mention that the Biometrics Vendor is known as “HID Global”  ( I like to give credit to where it is due).  The Biometrics Solution as described in the above quote is primarily for Time and Attendance applications for the dental schools in India, and of course you can see the benefits of this, if you have read my previous Postings on this particular application.  So, no need to rehash them here, and they can be seen in the above quote.  This Biometrics solution has been deployed at some 290+ dental colleges. 

So, you maybe wondering at this point, why even write a Posting on this topic, if I have written about Time and Attendance applications before??? Well, first, this is the first time I have even seen Biometrics even being mentioned in association with dentistry.  Second, this solution was deployed in order to promote a balance of education amongst the dental schools.  Meaning, the instructors and professors only teach at the colleges and universities they are supposed to teach at, and not anywhere else.  This is an effort to help reduce fraud and bribery in education, and in India, this is especially rampant.  But now, let us take all of this an further extrapolate up to the world of Forensics. 

Crime scene investigators in this field are very well known for taking even the smallest shreds of evidence and using to prove guilt in a court of law, and even verify and/or identify victims of a crime.  And in this regard, it is very often the teeth which are used for this purpose.  These are compared to dental records, and positive identification can be made.  Do you remember the famous Chandra Levy case, and Gary Condit way back in 2000???  Well, many years later, they found her remains in some desolate forest in the Washington, DC area, and it all came down to comparing the tooth remains to the dental records.  So, as I write today’s Posting, a thought has come to my mind:  Why can’t we combine the principles of Biometrics with dental forensics, to come up with a solution which is something like 200%+ proof positive, and which can be used to ascertain the identity of an individual within just minutes??? 

I am not sure if there is a subset of Biometrics known as “Tooth Recognition”, but I mean if raw teeth can be used to confirm the identity of an individual many years later, wouldn’t incorporating the principles of Biometrics further help the cause???  This would be extremely useful to forensics investigators in which time is of the utmost essence, especially in the regard if physiological or biological evidence can degrade quickly if not taken to a controlled environment immediately.  But above all, having 200%+ proof positive in terms of forensics evidence can also bring an accused party just that much closer to a guilty verdict.  Just my thoughts.

What Is So Special About Smartphones???

Back To Smartphones

Last night, I attended a rather major networking event at Schaumburg.  It was sponsored through the Schaumburg Business Association, and it took place at very posh steakhouse located just off of I-90. In fact, the whole area is rather upscale, at least when compared to some of the other suburbs I have attended networking sessions at.  I go to these things primarily to give out my business cards, get some back in return, and hopefully drum up some business. When I tell people about Biometrics, and all of the writing services I have to offer, I keep getting a lot of “ooohs and aaahs”. 

I tell them it is nothing really, it is just another piece of Security technology.  Of course, I get asked a lot of questions as well, and in fact, I have written a few Postings on some of the questions I get asked.  Some of these questions are really of the novel type, but I answer with the utmost care and try to be as through as possible, because I know that a lot of people do not know about Biometrics, and the people I am talking to, are actual potential customers, or subscribers to my newsletter.  Anyways, as I was attending this event, it just amazed me how many people are literally chained to their Smartphone.  It’s like it is an extension of them self, their personal life, and their work life. While this is a good thing, I guess, it is also a very sad thing, because in my view, some of these people have no lives of their own, and if they lost their Smartphone (which of course, I hope never ever happens), they would be completely paralyzed, and even probably suffer a nervous breakdown or even a massive panic attack (heck, even this morning, I was freaking out a little bit when my laptop died yet once again). 

At this networking event last night, I approached a few people who were playing with their Smartphone, and thought I would talk to them.  I thought after all, if they are this geekie, maybe they will have some sort of interest in what I have to offer.  One of the first questions asked is how they can secure their Smartphone. I said there are a number of ways this can be achieved, through a password, PIN Number, and yes, even through the use of Biometrics.  Some of these individuals were completely taken aback by this.  I said, yes, it is quite possible.  So it is with all of this in mind, I came across a Press Release today in which probably one of the most famous vendors of Smartphone technology announced a new Smartphone with Biometric Technology incorporated into it. 

And as usual, here are the details of this:  “The award winning Motorola ATRIX is tipped to be one of the biggest releases in 2011 and is sure to impress the most stylish of aspiring secret agents. The fingerprint reader allows you to unlock the phone with the swipe of a finger ensuring the mobile phone remains for your eyes only. The device also features a powerful 1GHz dual core processor so you can open web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones, as well as having the capacity to connect up to a HDTV to show video, games, music and more . . . This really is the ultimate smart phone for gadget fans packed full of tech wizardry and features that any aspiring spy would be proud of. With its multimedia accessories* and groundbreaking fingerprint swipe access, this is an innovative handset that Orange is proud to be bringing to the UK first.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8899/). 

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

At first glance of this Press Release, and especially the above quote, my first thought was, “Who really cares, this is just another Smartphone coming out . . . there will be ten more behind this one which come out in the next month!!!”.  But what caught my attention was the actual headline of this.  It is touted to be the most powerful Smartphone thus far available, primarily because of the Biometric Technology incorporated into it, which is Fingerprint Recognition.  But does this alone make it so powerful??? 

Really, what makes this the most powerful Smartphone on earth??? Is it the enormous processor, or the gigantic amounts of memory which come with it???  Or is it simply because it can load webpages twice as fast as other Smartphones???  Or is it because of its so called wizardry, and all the fancy dancy multimedia stuff???  If you base this claim just on these criterion alone, I don’t think it is the most powerful Smartphone available out there.  True, it is powerful, but there are many others like it out there as well.  And the way technology is going, every Smartphone which comes out will be more powerful than its predecessors, and the ones which precede it, will be even more powerful.  In this regard, my biggest concern is that of power management. 

With all of this stuff, the Smartphone will demand the most battery power yet.  As a result, battery power will be down to just a mere 2 or 3 hours versus to the few days I can get from my simple cell phone without all of the fancy features.  But, the one thing, in my view which will make the Smartphones the most powerful will be the Biometrics Technologies which will be incorporated into it, and especially the Ease of Use customers can use them to secure their Smartphone.  Just as Smartphones will become that much more powerful and miniature, so will the Biometric Technology in them. 

It is not just Fingerprint Recognition which will be used, but even Iris Recognition, Facial Recognition (yes, even the camera technology on the Smartphone is also advancing quite rapidly), and Voice Recognition.  And in fact, even Voice Recognition is being used.  So, is this Smartphone the first to have Fingerprint Recognition incorporated into it???  I think not, as there are many other Smartphones ahead of this one which have had Fingerprint Recognition Technology in it as well. 

The Human Brain: The Greatest Mystery Of All

Newer Ways For Marketing

In today’s tight economic times, and extremely strained budgets, businesses of all types and kinds are trying to reach out to new customers as much as possible. This means, the sales and marketing function has to make the most of every precious dollar to get new business. Whether it is through the social media/online world, or through the most conventional ways possible, the mantra is to do the most with the least.  So, there is a new effort now to determine the best marketing angles and strategies possible before actually embarking on an expensive campaign.  And, this new effort involves studying and examining how potential customers will react to certain product commercials. 

In fact, this is a topic I have written about before on a couple of occasions, so today’s Posting is actually an update to the other Postings I have written on.  In the Press Release I came across today, a market research organization known as “Gallup and Robinson, Inc.” announced it has taken an active and participatory role in a comprehensive research study known as the “NeuroStandards Collaboration”, to see how potential customers will react to certain commercials.  This project is being led by the Advertising Research Foundation (also known as the “ARF”), as being sponsored by some big names in Corporate America. 

Here are the details:  “A group of seven leading research firms participated in the project, which was undertaken to increase knowledge about and transparency in the fast developing field of biometric and neuro-physiological research. Each research company was given the same set of eight commercials to analyze using their own proprietary physiological methods which covered a range of approaches including brainwaves, blood flow, skin response, and facial response. The results have been submitted to a panel of academics for peer review to analyze the relative strengths, weaknesses, and validity of each method, and to establish standards for biometric research . . . Gallup & Robinson conducted its research through its groundbreaking Continuous Emotional Response Analysis (CERA) system, which uses Facial Electromyography (fEMG) outputs to assess emotional response to advertising and communications by measuring electrical impulses across facial muscle groups. FEMG focuses on measuring the degree of positive and negative emotional activation (called valence) that takes place when people are exposed to stimuli, in this case, watching television commercials. The system measures response even when people are not be aware of what they are thinking and feeling about what they are viewing.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8900/). 

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

First, it should be noted that the market research as described in this Posting is not the only one taking part in this project. There are seven other firms (I am assuming also related to market research or advertising).  As you can see from the above quote, all of the participants were given the exact same set of commercials (8 in total) to analyze.  But what is interesting is that each of these participants utilized their own methods (the one used by the one mentioned in this Posting can be seen in the above quote) to examine the effects of the commercial on the potential customers. 

What was examined?  Physiological characteristics such as the blood flow, and facial responses were examined, among others.  This can be categorized as the Biometric component of this study.  Brainwaves and brain patterns were also examined, this can be categorized as the neuro physiological aspect of this study.  It is hoped that the combination of these two studies will lead to baselines and particular thresholds as to how customers will react to certain commercials and advertisements. 

With this ammunition, the goal is to give businesses and organizations a huge leg up with this new technique when they present their products and services to potential clients in a real world, sales presentation.  These results of this project will then be submitted to an external academic group, to actually ascertain and validate the findings, and to interpret them, so they can be used most effectively.  It is highly anticipated that these findings will be published in a report due out in June of this year, and for sure, I will keep my eye on it. 

No doubt, it will be very interesting to read, and of course, even I will provide my analysis and interpretations as to how it can be used. But, rather than provide my feedback as to how it can be used for marketing purposes, I plan to write my findings as to how it can be used by the Biometrics Industry, in particular, the Biometrics Vendors.  Remember, Biometrics is not just all about Security, and fortifying things from a physical and logical standpoint.  Biometrics also has very much a social perspective to it, whether it is helping citizens in the poorest countries world trying to reclaim their identity, or for helping businesses reach their marketing objectives.  In my view, Biometrics can be used for many purposes, and it appears that its next and upcoming role will be for the sales and marketing industry. 

If the Biometrics Industry actually understands this, there is a new potential here:  Using the brain as a potential Biometric in of itself.  For a long time, people have viewed the brain as a structure with unique features and characteristics (such as the fissures in the brain), and have tried to use brain mapping as a potential Biometric Technology.  But, to the best of my knowledge, there has not been too many advancements made, just because the brain is so complex.  But by allying closely with the market research industry (in particular those described in this Posting), perhaps a much needed boost can be given in this regard.  And the irony will be that if Brain Recognition ever evolves (this is what I am calling it for right now), it could very well not turn out to be a Physical based Biometric Technology, but rather a Behavioral based one.  Truly a wonder. 

Perceptions On The Bluetooth

More Into Wireless

OK, we all know that Wireless and the Smartphones are the way of the world, and will continue probably until the world comes to an end (hopefully it never does).  Eventually,  I as well as many others predict, the Smartphone will just be an extension of both our personal and work lives. Heck, the day will come when we will never have to go to a physical infrastructure to actually work-we can get everything done at home, with our Smartphone.  Heck, I wouldn’t mind that all-at least the working from home bit. 

Not only this, but even forget about owning a laptop or a personal computer for online shopping or internet surfing purposes. It will all be done from the Smartphone.  Now, it is not only just the Smartphone which will proliferate, but so will also all of the accessories which go with them-especially the ear pieces, or the ear buds, as they are technically called.  And not is not just the corporate and private sector which will fuel their growth, but also the Federal Government sector as well.  Today, I came across a Press Release in which a Biometrics  Vendor know as “Biometric Associates, LP”, just announced a strategic partnership with another Security Vendor known as “Steel Cloud, Inc.”, to provide these types of accessories to the Federal Government, primarily the Department of Defense. 

Here are the details:  “SteelCloud, Inc., a developer of secure mobility appliance and VMware solutions, and Biometric Associates, LP, (BAL) www.baimobile.com a developer of secure wireless communications devices, announced today, at BlackBerry World, a partnership to market the first and only Bluetooth mobile headset approved for use by the Department of Defense (DoD) . . . BAL utilizes advanced 128-bit encryption, a randomly generated PIN, and other specialized firmware techniques to secure its Bluetooth products. The blueARMOR 100 headset is the only commercially available Bluetooth headset to pass all of the tests required by National Security Agency (NSA) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and is therefore, the only Bluetooth headset approved for use within the DoD . . . DISA's approval requires that the blueARMOR headset be paired with a BlackBerry® device running Bluetooth version 2.1 or higher managed by BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5. SteelCloud's SteelWorks FedMobile appliance and VMware solutions for BlackBerry, together with Fixmo's Sentinel product, will incorporate the policies necessary to effectively secure this new Bluetooth capability.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8895/). 

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Well, as much as I have written about the Federal Government awarding Security contracts to the Biometrics Vendors, this is the first time, in all honesty, I have seen our so beloved organization request specifically designed Bluetooth devices.  But as I think about it, it only makes sense, and especially for the Department of Defense to request them.  After all, many of our Federal Government employees are always on the go, especially those that are involved in covert operations and ultra high secret missions on the War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Not only is it important for the people conducting these operations, but it is also equally imperative for those operatives from the other side who are also involved.  And now with the death of Osama bin Laden, the need for covert and encrypted means of communications becomes even more critical.  The Bluetooth solution as described in this Posting uses 128 bit encryption (although I am pretty surprised it is not at the highest level of encryption available thus far, which is 1,028 bits).  It has also been approved by two Federal Government agencies, namely that of the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). 

This is a solution which has been in demand, it appears, for a number of years.  Just as important it is to for the Special Agents to have this kind of technology when eavesdropping upon the terrorist enemies, it is also just as equally important that all communications are encrypted the other way around (in other words, the terrorist enemies listening to the conversations of the covert Special Agents).  While this is great for the Federal Government, I question if this high level of Security (or termed another way, “military grade Security”) is really needed for the Bluetooth Device which are designed for the average, everyday use of the American citizen.  Yes, even our communications need to be protected as well, but does it need to be just as much as it is for the Federal Government??? I raise this issue, because this (the ultra high Security Bluetooth Device) could have tremendous market potential in the marketplace, by playing upon people’s fears, just as the Anti Virus Software Vendors do. 

I guess my skepticism comes from the standpoint that I am very old fashioned about my communications needs.  All I have is the most basic cell phone, with just text messaging capability.  That’s all I need.  To me, the simpler, the better.  The more advanced, the more complex (and also remember, the fancier the Smartphone gets with all of those fancy apps, the more problem of power management from the battery there will be).  To me, the Bluetooth device is just a sign of geekdom, having all those lights go off in my ear does not appeal to me at all.  When I see people where these things and it looks like that they are just talking to themselves, I get shivers down my spine.  This is a perspective from an old fashioned technical writer . . . .

The Piece Of The Puzzle

A Critical Component

Well, we are now approaching, by this summer, three years of solid blogging.  I think am now up to some 680+ Postings, and still growing strong.  Pretty soon, we will cross the 700 mark.  As I reflect upon this today, I have written about tons of things with regards to Biometrics, everything from the technical to the social, to the economic.  Heck, I have even touched upon the political realm of Biometrics who knows how many times.  But, there is a topic I have written about, and I distinctly remember I have only written once about:  the sensor of the Biometric device.  When we think of a Biometric Device, or piece of related hardware, we always wonder about the mathematical algorithms, the database, the networking, the cabling, and all that geeky stuff. 

But have you ever stopped to wonder about the sensor in the Biometric Device???  This is probably the most critical component of it.  Without it, there can be no pictures or images extracted of your unique features, and thus, no Biometric Templates created.  With regards at least to Fingerprint Recognition, there are three types of sensors used:  1)  Optical sensing; 2) Ultrasound sensing; 3) Thermal sensing (this is what is used more commonly in Vein Pattern Recognition).  Now take this concept of the sensor as it relates to the Biometric System, and extrapolate this to another Security Technology I have written about:  The CCTV Camera.  With regards to this, it is the camera inside it which is obviously the most critical component as well.  So, I guess you make the analogy of Sensor is to Biometric Device as Camera is to CCTV. 

These two Security Technologies work together hand in hand, especially when it comes to Facial Recognition.  So, it is today I came across a Press Release in which a Biometrics/Security Vendor announced some new technological advancements in the camera area.  The Vendor is known as “Visualant, Inc.”, and here are the details:  “The ID security and access control industries have unique requirements for image capture systems. Cameras must be high-quality and low-cost, produce quality images in all lighting conditions, and able to interface with specialized badge design software for instant creation and issuance of identification credentials. These systems must also be designed for portable use in multiple locations such as a school district, and for permanent installation at a central location, such as a corporate security office. TransTech Systems has recognized these needs and designed two unique camera kits under the TransCam brand name. These two unique camera kits are available for immediate distribution . . . The TransCam WDM camera kit is designed for portability and includes both a top-of-the-line 8 megapixel high-definition compact camera for capturing crisp and vibrant images of the subject, and TWAIN-driver software solution. The camera can be controlled directly from the user’s computer to capture the perfect photo, and the integrated face-finder combined with auto-crop ensures that ID badges are created quickly and professionally.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8846/). 

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

After reading through the Press Release, I have to make the clarification that it is the image capture device itself which is the most important component (just being technical here).  As described, this advancement in technology possesses a number of key advantages:

*It can produce images in all types and kinds of environments (especially with different kinds of lighting);

*Can interface with extremely specialized software;

*It can be used in a fixed or portable (mobile formats);

*The user can control the camera aperture directly from their very own desktop computer (which incorporates zoom and focus)  and includes an auto cropping function (this would come very handy to me, as I have no picture taking or graphics creation skills);

*This solution is designed for the high volume market, especially when it comes to issuing tons of Security badges within a short amount of time or even on demand.

What is my take on all of this???  Watch for the Biometric Sensor and Image Capture Vendors (OK, those Camera Vendors) to come together and working on Security solutions.  Remember, the ultimate objective is to capture unique features for verification and identification.  Biometrics and Image Capture are becoming strongly allied with one another. 

This is clearly evident with the role that Facial Recognition is taking place with CCTV Technology.  I predict that there could even be a potential wave of buyouts from within the Biometrics Industry upon these specialized Vendors.  After all,  taking that all important picture, whether it is a fingerprint, iris, or even just a face, is the primary bread and butter, even more so that those mathematical algorithms.

The Positive Effects Of Recognition

An Award Received

You know, just by human nature, we always feel good when we are complimented, and always feel negative when we are criticized when we are judged, or when we expect something to turn out well and it does not.  Really, for that matter, one can even ask the question, why do always have to experience the hardships in life, just so that we can appreciate all the things which are good???  Why can’t life just all be good???  Well, this is a matter of a philosophical debate.  But in my humble view, we have to experience some real setbacks in life in order to fully grasp the good which is bestowed upon us. 

And I am talking about some serious hardships, not just the day to day ordeals we all face.  Such is the case for businesses and organizations.  Although there is much more at stake here, such as the bottom line, earnings per share, and most importantly, keeping the shareholder happy, Corporate America has to go through its hard times as well, in order to experience the great economic fortunes which can be had in good economic times.  But, who knows now when that will happen, given the huge increases in the price of gas.  But you know, good fortunes for small businesses in Corporate America does not always have to come down to dollars and cents.  It can also come down to being recognized for a product or solution, or even for just providing great customer service.  Such is the case with a Biometrics Vendor known as “Smartmatic”, recognized by Frost and Sullivan. 

Here are the details:  “The expertise and ability to develop a valuable, vastly accepted technology for the industry thus makes Smartmatic the worthy recipient of the 2011 Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Enhancement of the Year Award,” said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Neelima Sagar. “Enhanced security, flexibility, and time-and mission-criticality are some of the major benefits that Smartmatic provides to its end users across all verticals. The company’s underlying objective has been to offer scalable solutions for superior client value,” added Saga . . . Smartmatic’s platform, the PARmobile, collects biometric and biographic data by using a modular design and open standards-based architecture, which helps end users achieve a significantly higher degree of accuracy and reliability . . . The key factor of our success in providing superior customer value has been the combination of our agility in regard to quality, accuracy and responsiveness, with our centralized approach to logistics as well as our comprehensive insight from each of the projects we’ve been involved in, which has helped us exceed our clients’ expectations.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8892/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

It should be noted that this Biometrics Vendor has a rather large worldwide dominance, and has market penetrations in the United States, South America, and even Africa and Asia.  They primarily provide solutions to the government sectors in these respective nations, primarily in the way of national elections.  As can be seen from the above quote, their solution combines collecting both biometric and biographical information/data, I am assuming that of the citizens whom are voting.  Although the specific Biometric Technology is not mentioned, I guess one can safely assume that it is most likely Fingerprint Recognition. 

Best of all, this solution even supports an open source, development architecture, of which I am a huge proponent for the Biometrics Industry.  Although a few of you, the readers of this blog site, may even wonder what is so special about this award, it all comes down to one of the most fundamental marketing principles.  And that is, there is nothing more powerful than a customer’s testimonial, or receiving an award based upon providing great customer service.  I mean, if I were to shop online for a product, and it was jam packed with customer testimonials, I would be much more apt to buy the product from that particular website than one filled with just PPC advertisements. 

From within the Biometrics Industry, and through my years of writing about it, there are many awards given out based upon the scientific merits of a particular product or solution (especially in the way of the mathematical algorithms), but there are hardly ever given any given out based upon providing good ‘ole great customer service.  In my view, it’s about time that the Biometrics Industry ramps up efforts in this area, and start recognizing those Biometric Vendors which provide great customer service. It all comes down to this: 

A potential client will be much more dazzled by great customer testimonials and customer service awards than accolades given out to the best algorithms.  The potential client will be much more conducive to purchase from a Biometrics Vendor with the former, rather than the latter. Something to think about.

Blood: The Sustenance Of Life

The Definition Of Lifeblood

To many out there, this is a broad based term.  To you, what is lifeblood???  Is it something you eat, drink, or just get a high on??? Well, to me, it is actually all three of them.  In terms of eating, well I really do love chocolate, as does my awesome and spectacular girlfriend (and soon my fiancé, and next year, wife).  I love the sugar boost from it, even if it is just for a few short moments.  With regards to drink, coffee, to me is the ultimate lifeblood of all.  I could not live without it. 

To me, and probably to the dismay of others, it is like water.  How do I get high???  I get a high after I do a hard workout, or go at it full force when it comes to fighting in Taekwondo and Brazilian Ju Jitsu.  There is no other relaxing feeling than all that.  But in the truest form of the word, and even from the physiological and biological perspective, lifeblood is literally blood.  There is no question, we need it to live.  And whenever we are traumatized, and lose a lot of blood, our lives become in peril danger.  It is at this point, when we are in the hospital and clinging onto dear life, that we need the blood from others. 

Yea, I am talking about blood transfusions.  Although the process can appear to be simple enough, it can also at the same be a complex process, especially for those people who administering it.  To help with this, a Biometrics Vendor known as “BIO-Key International, Inc.”, has announced its new solution called the “Tru-Donor ID Solution”. 

Here are the details of this:  “BIO-key will be demonstrating Tru-Donor ID and finger biometrics for identifying donors in any venue including remote blood drives, using mobile devices such as SmartPhones, equipped with finger biometric capability . . . The security and convenience we provide is measurable. We're attending the meeting to share our success stories providing biometric solutions to other blood banks and healthcare partners . . . BIO-key is currently providing support for The Indiana Blood Center, The Oklahoma Blood Institute and ITxM which is the third largest blood transfusion facility in the United States. BIO-key is helping each facility achieve their goals for instant search and positive ID for donors using just a touch of their finger. Additionally, duplicate donor enrollments are detected in real time, before they get into the Blood Donor Records System as a duplicate record.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/8843/). 

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

There was a time when donating blood was a very simple, and very honest process.  Nobody ever really questioned the validity of the individual donating the blood, and there was also no question if the blood was “good” or not (meaning, the donor had no sexually transmitted diseases, or other types of sicknesses such as hepatitis, etc.).  Probably I best remember these times when I was in India back in 1989, donating blood to my grandfather. 

Nobody worried about the quality of my blood, and in fact, the donation center was so happy to receive my blood, then even took me and my mom out to dinner, to dine on some great food (but remember also, this is India).  But today, nobody can take a chance on the quality of the blood, or even the honesty of the donor.  Who is to know who has AIDS, or who doesn’t???  And even in today’s economic times, people who are desperate to do anything for cash will do anything, even donating blood and plasma, when they know their blood is tainted with some sort of disease.  So thus, as you can see, having the ability to not only determine the quality of the blood is important, but also is the capability to identify and/or verify the individual whom is giving the blood away. 

And once again, Biometrics comes in as the tool of choice, which is exemplified by the solution as described in this Posting.  This solution offers some real robust advantages, such as having the ability to verify and/or identify people even via the wireless route, especially over the Smartphone, which are equipped with Fingerprint Recognition Technology.  This feature proves to be exceptionally beneficial for those blood drives which are remote and drive around a lot (you know what I am talking about, those huge RV’s you see in just about every mall parking lot during the summer months). 

But from what I can gather and analyze, probably the biggest benefits of using Biometrics by the blood donation centers are that of time and cost savings.  For example, with just a swipe of a finger, donors can not only be searched (this is an addition to the verification/identification feature as well), but duplicate records can also be deleted as well.  Also, by using Biometrics, a blood donation center can tell very quickly if enough time has lapsed before an individual can donate blood again.  Right now, as far as I know, only a card is used to confirm this information, and as a result, it can be easily forged or duplicated, or whatever. 

But, by using Biometrics, there is irrefutable proof.  Best of all, via the use of Biometrics, everything is done in real time, so the databases are updated almost instantly.  So far, it seems that it is Fingerprint Recognition which is being used by the blood donation centers, it will be truly interesting to see if the other Biometric Technologies are used as well, such as Iris Recognition.