Biometrics Security News and Information

Getting Educated Online

Going Back To School

Given these harsh economic times, and the possible near collapse of the Euro and the American economy, the jobs picture becomes even bleaker.  Although the statistical employment rate is at around 9% or so, it is actually believed to be much higher than that, like in the 20% range or so.  This number reflects people who have even given up looking for a job, or are still looking full time, or working part time and looking part time, etc.  So, what is one to do in these dire times?  Well, the natural tendency is to go back to school.  Heck, back in the recession of the early 90’s (when I graduated from college), I was even contemplating going back to school.  But times were much different back then that they are right now. 

The number of people going back to school is staggering, and thus the slots are becoming even tighter.  Undergrad is tough, but I am sure that grad school is even much worse than that, especially with regards to funding and scholarships.  So, forget the traditional brick and mortar method, there is the online option.  I mean what could be better, get the degree from the comforts of your own home?  Well, there is a catch to this, and that is:  In cyberspace, who do you know is who? 

Here is an answer:  “Aware, Inc., a global provider of biometrics and medical imaging software, today announced that it has supplied Cambridge Assessment, the University of Cambridge’s international exams group, with a biometric verification solution based on its COTS Biometric Services Platform (BioSP™) and user interface development services. The advanced solution forms the basis of ‘Identica’, which is part of Cambridge Assessment’s exam fraud prevention services . . . the Identica system enables exam proctors to easily capture ISO-compliant facial images of candidates.  These images are then made available to organizations wishing to verify that the candidate presenting a certificate is the candidate who took the test . . . the system can be easily upgraded to support additional biometric modalities, including fingerprints.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9403/).

My Take

Honestly speaking, the use of Biometrics for online education and confirming the identity of the online student is really nothing too new.  I have written about it before, but it is one of those applications which is on the “cusp of exploding”.  Meaning, it is still an emerging app, and has a lot of room for potential growth and market share, especially for the Biometric Vendors out there.  But, this application described here is a bit different in two aspects. 

First, it appears to me that this is much more of a centralized approach of collecting Biometric Templates, versus to what I have described in the past, in which local authentication was the norm, meaning, everything was done at the testing center. 

Second, the apps I have written about before used primarily fingerprint recognition, and even iris recognition (and perhaps even a combination of the two) for positive identification of a student.  This is the first time I have seen facial recognition being used, and to a certain degree it even surprises me, given that the face is subject to drastic change over time (in particular massive weight loss and weight gain).  But as mentioned, this system will probably be adaptable to other forms of Biometric Technologies, which even include fingerprint recognition. 

And, finally, in terms of differences this Biometrics solution is even compliant to international standards, which previous postings and apps did not even mention.  Over time, meaning by the end of this year, it is expected that this Biometrics solution will be deployed and implemented in some 130+ countries.  I don’t know if you know or not, but the University of Cambridge is currently ranked as the #1 university in the world. 

So, given this prestige, this educational institution could prove to be the fine example other universities and colleges (even businesses and corporations) around the world could follow with regards to the use of Biometrics, especially here in the United States.  And I am sure this will be a great boon as well as marketing tool to the Vendor who created this solution:  Aware, Inc.

Support American Industry

China, Once Again

Well, hey everybody out there, long time no hear, huh?  Well, I took a few days off from the daily blogging to make time for Thanksgiving with my fiancé Anita and family.  It was a low key dinner, nothing too extravagant.  But it was a great time, nonetheless.  Also, during the course of the weekend, I met some her close friends, and of course, the talk came up as to what I do for a living.  I naturally answered being a tech writer, and do work in Biometrics.  That was enough to spark up some interest and dialogue.  The talk then traversed to Black Friday shopping, and of course, “Made In China” was brought up again. 

Although I did not do any shopping, I can probably guarantee you that 95% of all products bought was made in China.  But once again, its not in the retail sector we see this ever popular slogan, we now see it today in the security industry. 

A market research study/report called “China Sourcing Report: Access Control & Anti-intrusion – 2011” was just recently released, and here we go:  “China suppliers of access control and anti-intrusion products are looking forward to strong sales this year. For exports, the anticipated increase in revenue is at least 10 percent . . . nonetheless, the industry is prepared to see a deceleration in growth amid various challenges. For one, manufacturers are facing the possibility of weakening demand, especially in the EU and the US, where the difficult economic climate has caused a housing slump.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9390/). 

My Take

There was not a lot of detail offered, but I have few comments, to make, of course.  First, the report is for the year of 2011, which if I am correct, is almost over?!  Perhaps these projections are more meant for 2012?  Anyways, it is interesting to note how Chinese growth is expected to grow at 10% (and while any growth is positive, it is still in my view sort of “luke warm growth”), while the United States and the rest of Europe still wrangle with the issues of the debts of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, etc., and spiraling downwards economies.  But, as the report also forecasts, this growth is probably not expected to last too much longer, as the economies of the Western Hemisphere continue to detiorate, which will take a toll on an already awful real estate market (I assume that the hypothesis here is that a slumpening housing market means less demand for physical access entry security). 

But irregardless of what this research concludes, one cannot ignore the fact of how much we, as a society are dependent upon China, and vice versa.  If we do well, they do well, and if we do bad (like the horrible housing market), it will eventually take a toll on the Chinese as well (probably by not too much though, because of the huge demand of the population there-this can probably make up for the deficit they face with the United States and the EU).  But this dependency is something that we cannot break easily at all-it is an issue which has been with us for the last decade, and is completely mired in political and economic debates.  When will this dependency break?  Who knows. 

But, it will be a very long, long time though.  I can understand buying retail products which are made in China, as we as consumers, have hardly a choice in this (unless you want to drive 200+ miles to find something made in the good ole USA).  But, this is where I draw the line.  When it comes to protecting my own home, or any business here, I want the security products and devices to be made in the USA.  I don’t care if I have to pay a higher price for this, at least I know there will be quality instilled into it.  And this is especially true for Biometrics. 

If I were to ever buy any device here, I want it made in the USA.  Believe me, although it has been some time, I have seen Biometrics products made in China versus the USA.  And there is no need to debate this, the answer is obvious:  USA made Biometrics products and goods are much more higher quality and reliable than their Chinese counterparts. 

So as much as I support this, I think the Biometrics Industry here in the United States as well as the EU (and heck, for that country all over the world) say forget it to made in China, and instead advocate “Made In The USA!!!” (or whatever country manufactures that product).  Remember in the end, it is our security at stake, and we should only demand and expect the best of the best.

How To Make Black Friday Shopping Easier

Making Life A Little Easier

As Thanksgiving is now fast approaching upon us, probably the one thing that comes to our mind on that particular day is pure gluttony by devouring on the turkey, and of course, being with family and friends.  But don’t also forget Black Friday, where supposedly, we can get some of the cheapest deals on the planet.  While this traditionally starts at around 4 am or so on Friday, many retail outfits are now even opening their stores late Thursday night, like around 11 PM.  I think that’s unfair, as everybody should have this day off.  But if you are one of those who plans to brave the crowds on Black Friday morning, you will probably want to get out of the stores as quickly as possible. 

One way to do this is to pay with the easiest way you can: with cash, or credit card.  Forget bringing a check with you, you are just going to hold up lines as you attempt to fill it out, and sign your name.  And believe me, people in line, especially during this very hurried time, will hate you for the delay.  But, if you absolutely have to use a check, what other options does one have to help ensure that a check signing process goes through quicker?  Well, believe it or not, Biometrics can come into play here, in particular, Signature Recognition.  And in fact, a Biometrics Vendor known as “Wacom” has just announced it is using for retail facing applications, to help alleviate the problem of the above scenario. 

Here we go:  “Wacom announces sign&save, a plug-and-play signature capture solution for small to medium size businesses that are seeking to implement or improve customer-facing digital transaction processes. The sign&save solution, available in two versions, combines a Wacom signature tablet with the company's newly designed software, called sign | pro PDF, to deliver an affordable and efficient way to integrate electronic handwritten signatures into a business's daily workflow. Both versions are easy to connect to Windows-based personal computers. Additionally, each signature tablet is able to capture the static and biometric signals of individual signatures, providing an effective defense against fraud . . . The sign&save solution provides an immediate ROI by modernizing the signature capture process, making it easy for businesses to add legally-binding electronic signatures to any PDF document . . . Ultimately, sign&save is offering businesses a more efficient way to execute contracts and authorize agreements. By eliminating the need to print, scan and store documents, sign&save produces tangible results in terms of time and cost savings, not to mention the ease-of-use, security and speedy performance benefits it gives to both employees and customers.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9385/).

My Take

Really, there is nothing new about Signature Recognition.  It has been around, and in fact, I have been published a number of times about this subject matter.  Really, it is one of those Biometric Technologies which is what I call a “silent” one.  You don’t hear about it too often, but it makes its presence known.  The benefits are obvious, including:

*No need for actual, raw signatures.  Now, with this, electronic signatures can are now accepted very easily as legally binding;

*This is a much easier and more common sense way to protect against Identity theft;

*The technology is now pretty much plug and play, when compared to other legacy Biometric Systems;

*There is no need to fax or snail mail legal documents any more, everything can be done via e-mail, thus saving great amounts of time, and making business deals close much faster;

*A very quick ROI (again, when compared to other Biometric Technologies);

*This solution is perfect for the SME, who hires a lot of road warrior employees.  Now, with Signature Recognition, business contracts can be signed off with customers in just a matter of seconds and approved by the home office very quickly;

*With this Biometric Technology, e-signatures can be merged very quickly with PDF documents.  Remember, PDF’s are basically images, thus it can be very difficult to store or save copies of documents;

*Best of all, the price is very affordable to SME’s:  Anywhere from $200-$300.  And yet once again, when compared to the other Biometric Technologies, it is very, very affordable.

So, when you shop on Black Friday, try to take notice if there are any Signature Recognition devices out there, by the POS terminals.  They are easy believe me.  And remember, pay with credit card and cash!!!  Forget the checks!!!  Save time with Signature Recognition, and enjoy the much earned holiday!!!

We Can Learn A Lot From India

An Update On India

Just last week, I wrote an entry about how Biometrics is being used to help a certain geographic region within the province of Maharashtra get access to certain services.  Well, today, I want to update that story with another one which is happening in another region of India, many miles to the northeast, in a province known as “Bihar”, which is sandwiched between Nepal and Bangladesh. 

Here are the details:  “NXP Semiconductors N.V. is working with Glodyne Technoserve, the technology service provider of the Indian State Government of Bihar, to provide citizens living in rural communities with access to banking and social welfare facilities for the first time. Ultimately, residents of Bihar can use the SmartMX-based e-Shakti card as their identity card, employment card, and bank card . . . The e-Shakti transformation project aims to improve the purchasing power of Bihar's large rural population, to stimulate the rural economy and to further develop the Bihar region. Using an end-to-end solution based on cutting edge technologies such as NFC, government officials can register participants as they arrive at work and pay wages directly into their newly created bank accounts — bringing banking to the unbanked . . . Using secure handheld terminals, bank clerks can quickly set up virtual banks in even the most rural areas, providing access to full banking services and eliminating the cost and effort required to set up physical branches.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9381/).

My Take

So as you can see, this Biometrics project deals with what is known as setting up a virtual bank to those citizens of India who otherwise, being able to access a bank account with money in it would be a total dream come true.  But apart from accessing financial transactions, the idea of this project is to also stimulate social welfare and activity (such as increasing the buying power) on a much more grander scale.  Also, as you can further see, this project is pretty similar to its counterpart to the southwest.  From a technological standpoint, there is really nothing mysterious about using Biometrics for large groups of people.  But to me, it holds a very special significance. 

As you many of you know, my origins are that of Indian.  I have visited this country many times previously, and while it has prospered in certain regions over time (especially the Mumbai and Bangalore regions), India is still a country with tons of areas of which are still very poor.  And believe me, I have seen these first had.  Especially at the train stations.  Whenever I have travelled by the trains, there would be tons of poor people clamoring around my passenger car for just a bite of bread.  It was totally gut wrenching, and broke my heart.  Another example of this is in some of the posh hotels in India, especially in Mumbai.  Here, I would see top business executives come out, and just 50 feet away from them, would be a very poor person just begging for five cents to have.  Truly a very stark, and sickening contrast to me.  But, now I am glad to see these programs start to abound in India. 

It’s about time these people who live in the most desolate of villages have access to the same services as the affluent and middle class can afford.  I always wondered when this would happen, and at least now it is starting to.  I just hope things like this build up more momentum.  But, this story can also be viewed from a different angle as well.  Here in the United States and in Europe, we are constantly worried about the debt of Italy and Greece, and are witnessing first hand rock our very own financial markets.  Just to even get a basic stimulus package within these countries is taking much time and wrangling (maybe even worse there, than it is here in the US).  And now, look at a country like India. 

Believe me, this place has problems with debt and a sinking economy as well, but rather than simply pumping in money, the Indian Government is using Biometrics to give the poorest of the poor there a chance-to increase their purchasing power by being able to buy certain goods and services.  And when you have a large mass of people buying goods and services, the economy in those regions will most likely spur, will it not???  I mean in democratic societies, isn’t consumer spending something like 2/3 of economic growth. 

So perhaps here in the United States, we can take this example and give the poorest of the poor a chance to stimulate the economy by using Biometrics and give them access to goods and services they would not have had access to before.  The irony here would be, perhaps the millions of dollars which would be spent in awarding these types and kinds of contracts to the Biometrics Vendors would have much further reaching implications than the trillions of dollars being spent on stimulus packages, which so far, have proved absolutely worthless to our economy.

Protect Yourself: Don't Forget To Logoff!!!

A James Bondish Keyboard

When you sit down at your computer (it really does not matter if it is laptop, a netbook, or even a desktop) what is the first thing you notice, and what is the one thing you take most for granted?  Well, to answer these questions, you probably notice your screen first with the pretty backdrop, and it is the keyboard which often gets overlooked.  I guess its just human nature.  For instance, if our computer is not working properly after we login, we always first reach for the CPU and the monitor.  But do we ever stop and think something could be wrong with the keyboard, or perhaps the USB connection became loose and disconnected?  Here is another little trick when I first got into IT in my MBA days:  if your password never gets accepted, try typing it out on the keyboard in a text editor and take notice of the characters you are typing out (by this, I mean letters, punctuation, numbers, etc.). 

If something seems out of synch, but you swear your keystrokes are right, very likely there is some junk on the keyboard which is prohibiting from everything to be properly typed.  In fact, a dirty or a dusty keyboard can cause just as much harm to your computer as much as a small piece of hair within your CPU.  And to just state how important the keyboard is, it is here in today’s advanced world, where one can use their fingerprint to login into their computer, as a replacement to the password (or in conjunction with it). 

But, the keyboard is going to get much more advanced:  “KSI (Key Source International) announced today its most amazing new line of security desktop keyboards . . . the KSI-1700 series features an array of secure input options never before available in one simple keyboard design. This slim, elegant and ergonomic keyboard addresses all aspects of workstation security . . . the KSI-1700 has integrated options, such as biometrics, WaveID, HID and contact-less smart card badge technologies. What truly makes the KSI-1700 series so incredible is SonarLocID, this option locks and secures a users workstation by simply walking away . . . “The password era is coming to end. A secure and irrefutable logon using biometrics or RFID will become the norm when we access data.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9384/). 

My Take

Man, now talk about powerful and mulitfaceted keyboards!!!  Heck, I remember back in the days of the TRS-80 and the IBM 486’s how simple and durable the keyboards were.  The only thing complex about them was simply trying to figure out where to put that darned PS/2 serial connection in the back of the CPU, and making sure it was snug and fit.  And now, we see keyboards with multitrack “things” replacing the traditional mouse, touch “tronic” types of buttons, Biometrics (this was just introduced in laptops and netbooks on a large scale just a couple of years ago), and now Smart Cards and computers that automatically shut you down or log you off when you walk away for a certain period of time?!?!?!  WOW.  Totally incredible. 

Just as much as the Smartphone has advanced in technology, as well as those flat screens and the CPU’s we will probably see keyboards advance just as much.  But, they will not get much notice until they come out in the press like this one.  In my humble opinion, I am sort of divided into all of this fancy stuff.  True, we live in a world where Identity Theft is omni present, and security threats and risks have become extremely advanced compared to when I first started out in IT.  So, in a way we need all of this technology in order to fight all this stuff.  But on the flip side of the coin, has this stuff become perhaps maybe a little too advanced, where if something went wrong with it, we would have to replace the whole thing?  Take this for example, and it has happened to me.  What if you spill coffee on your keyboard  . . . with everything as interconnected as it is now, would we have to just replace the whole darned computer?  This could put us at a greater expense, especially if we do not get the warranty plan at the time of purchase. 

This actually happened to me once, and all I had to do was just replace the keyboard.  This all brings up something I have talked about before:  We need a balance between the technology and human vigilance.  And, this mantra of mine just does not apply to security applications like Time and Attendance and Physical Access Entry, it applies even to this keyboard example.  Really, why do we need to have so much technology (of course, there is the need for Biometrics, this is my shameless plug) on a keyboard???  Why can’t we remember, especially at the workplace, that as we get up and leave for a little while, to merely just log off???  Why does the computer have to do that for us???  As the quote points out here:  “Leaving an open and unattended computer defeats the purpose of strong authentication, log off is as critical as the logon . . .” (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9384/). 

This is a very valid point, and something I have never really thought of up before.  But, why can’t simply just remember to log off??? It’s as easy as 1-2-3 (in IT parlance, it is Control-Alt-Delete, all held at the same time).

Playing Devil's Advocate

How It All Works

If you are an avid reader of my blog site (which I hope you all are!!!) you will have noticed that I have written a few themes about the so called self serving kiosks which dispense medication, all via automatic processes and Biometrics.  While I talked mostly standpoint of the Biometrics angle, I always wondered how the whole thing actually worked.  Well, that is until today. 

So, here we go, here are the details of this:  “The process is as simple as it is ingenious: When a customer drops off a prescription at their favorite pharmacy, the pharmacist will ask if they want to pick it up at the counter (which means possibly waiting in line and being subject to the pharmacy hours), or pick it up at the self-serve storage system – usually located immediately next to the pharmacy counter. If the customer opts to pick up their medicine from the convenient self-serve system, the pharmacist will register the patient, which is a one-time process that takes about 2-minutes. When the order is completed the pharmacist will place the medicine in a pre-determined slot in the self-service storage system. The customer can return to the store at their convenience, swipe their ID Card, place a finger in the biometric fingerprint verification system, and the appropriate slot will be able to be accessed by the customer. Dual redundancy and military grade security assures that the proper medicine is dispensed. A proprietary software program is incorporated into each unit to track and verify each transaction.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9383/).

My Take

I do have to admit, this a rather elegant process. I mean who wants to wait in line for 30 minutes or more (an estimate at a time frame) just to have their prescriptions filled???  I certainly would not.  I have a rather short fuse when it comes to shopping, and waiting around to have some medications is not my idea of a fun time.  So, yes, this does have the great advantage of much less waiting for the customer, and great ease of use.  But, I do have some questions about all of this.  While Biometrics is being used in order to properly verify/identify the customer in question, it is also used to actually locate the filled medication for the customer, and give it to them via the open slot.

Although the Press Release mentioned dual redundancy and military grade processes being used, it did not offer any more detail about it.  So, as a technical writer, and playing devil’s advocate, who is to say that this technology will not, by accident deliver the wrong medication???  Remember, the people who use this type of system are those that are on the go, and most likely, will not check to see that everything is accurate.  They will simply run back home, plop in the medication, swallow it, and if it is the wrong one . . . you get the idea.  This isn’t t say that humans don’t make errors as well, and there have been documented cases where even pharmacists living and breathing have also made mistakes in filling prescriptions. 

But if it were me, I would much rather have a human being take my order, fill it, and give it back to me.  At least, with this, there is a documented chain of custody, in case the finger pointing and the blame game has to be played out.  And now that I think about, maybe I would rather wait longer in line to have those reassurances met.  And who knows what kind of people have access to this self serving kiosk?  Is it just the pharmacist, to the pharm techs as well???  That is something else that also has to be considered.  Also, what are the environmental conditions of the self serving kiosk like? 

For example, what if the customer decided to wait for days to pick up the medication, what is the preservation rate of that prescription versus to actually picking it up in an environmentally friendly pharmacy???  And also, wouldn’t a self serving kiosk be more of a prime target for theft and brute force attacks?? Just how well locked up are prescriptions in the kiosk??? I know I am playing devils advocate here, but these are some of the key issues which would come across my mind before I use it. 

But on a much more positive note, the Vendor who developed this system just filed a patent for this, so we will see how that turns out.  I know it is a long and very expensive process, so my best wishes in getting that patent. On the Biometrics note of this posting, Fingerprint Recognition is being used.  But why not use something more secure like Iris Recognition or Vein Pattern Recognition??? Just some more of my thoughts on this fine afternoon . . .

We Want The Airwaves Secure

Security For The Airwaves

As I keep mentioning in postings on this blog site, Smartphones are truly the de facto standard of our lives.  Lose it, and we are paralyzed.  In fact, it has even come to the point now our lifestyle is being judged by the type of Smartphone we have in our possession.  This can even be likened to the kind of you drive.  Now for me, I live a very simple lifestyle.  So that means, I drive a very basic car (a Honda Civic 2003) and a very simple wireless device (the most basic phone Verizon had to offer at the time). 

And as the use of Smartphones proliferate well into the future, so will the demand for increased security.  In fact, just today, I came across a market research report which claims that the security market (this is an all inclusive grouping) will reach $356 Million by the year of 2014.  This report cites a number of obvious factors for the explosion in this market capitalization, which include:

*An increase in the growth of mobile employees (especially those who telecommute, the road warrior, and people who have the great benefit of working from home full time);

*The strong interest in the security protocol of SMS OTP, here is a brief definition of it:  “A one-time password (OTP) is a password that is valid for only one login session or transaction. OTPs avoid a number of shortcomings that are associated with traditional (static) passwords. The most important shortcoming that is addressed by OTPs is that, in contrast to static passwords, they are not vulnerable to replay attacks. This means that, if a potential intruder manages to record an OTP that was already used to log into a service or to conduct a transaction, he or she will not be able to abuse it since it will be no longer valid. On the downside, OTPs are difficult for human beings to memorize. Therefore they require additional technology in order to work.”  (SOURCE:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-time_password)

*Increased demand of Smartphones by the so called “non traditional sectors”;

*The rise of cloud based services and SaaS (Software as a Service) offerings;

*An exponential increase in demand for access to secure networks such as financial websites and corporate intranets.

But despite these thirst quenching demands, this market research does find one variable which could impede the anticipated growth rate for mobile security by 2014.  And believe it or not, it has to do with Voice Recognition.  Although when compared to the other Biometric Technologies out there, Voice Recognition still does not yet have a big piece of the pie in the overall market.  But when you look at it in individual market segments, such as Wireless and Smartphones, the demand for it is strong.  Voice Recognition is very easy to use, and takes just a matter of literally seconds for the user to enroll themselves into it as a means to protect their Smartphone.  So, this finding totally surprises me. 

True, Voice Recognition does have its fair share of flaws and limitations just like anything else in life, the technology has advanced to the point where even the largest of the financial institutions worldwide are using Voice Recognition for customers to trade financial instruments on the phone, without the assistance of a broker.  And really Voice Recognition is very easy to use when compared to other Biometric Technologies out there.  So in my view as a technical writer, I firmly believe that Voice Recognition will continue to play a huge role in wireless security.

The only other true alternative is Fingerprint Recognition, and people don’t want to fumble around with extra steps in order to secure and use their Smartphone.  With Voice Recognition, simply flip open your phone, speak your voice, and voila, you are verified.  I am going to have to really take a deeper look at this study to find out why Voice Recognition is considered an “impediment”, when it will only fuel the growth for easy and quick and security.  Finally, this market research was conducted by an organization known as “Research and Markets”, and the formal title of the research is “Phone-based Authentication Market in North America 2010-2014”. 

My Hometown Of The State Of Maharashtra

My Hometown

As many of my readers and subscribers know, my origins are that of Indian. Both my parents came from India, specifically, my mother came from a town called “Pune” (geographically located in a province called “Maharashtra”), and my father came from a town called “Mysore” (also, located in province called “Karnataka”).  The last time I visited India was back in 2001, but before that, I used to visit India on a fairly regular basis about every two to three years.  But believe me, I do plan to go back soon, with my wife to be Anita, and to have an Indian style wedding as well.  Although I would visit family in different parts of India, Pune usually became the port of call where we would spend most of the time. 

And to my surprise, as I was thinking about all of this today, I came across a Press Release which discusses the use of Biometrics in Maharashtra.  Here are the details: “The Government of Maharashtra has awarded Accenture a three-year, management consulting and technology contract to help manage the administration of labor laws and create a management system to support services ranging from renewal of licenses to filing online grievances through an interactive portal . . . The contract supports the Mahashramm initiative, designed to better manage and track services and payments through collaboration with banks for India’s unorganized workforce of 20 million people. The program is unique in size and scale and has been cited by the International Labor Organization (ILO) as one of the leading best practices in the world . . . Accenture will help implement a management framework and technology system to provide services, including registration and filing of applications, by building an online portal and creating a database to provide financial inclusion to unorganized workers using biometric signatures. This phase will be integrated with the Unique Identification Program (UID) of the Government of India.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9371/). 

My Take

Although the dollar volume of this contract with Accenture was not specifically disclosed, obviously one can tell that it is a fairly sizable contract.  Well heck, any time a security or a Biometrics contract is awarded in India, it is always big, given its gargantuan population.  Now many of you also know that India is also home to what is deemed to be the world’s largest Biometrics project.  Long story short, the goal here is to register every person in massive Biometrics databases, via the iris, vein pattern, or finger.  But this contract as described above is unique in the sense that Biometrics will be used to help to streamline and make more efficient India’s relationships between its government and businesses toward its labor force. 

In other words, trying to improve the labor flow processes over there, specifically focusing upon India’s “unorganized” labor force, of some 20 million people.  What unorganized exactly means, I have no idea.  But to give some notion as to just how large India’s workforce is, Indian Railways, which oversees the nation’s rail and train infrastructure, is presently, the world’s largest employer.  This ranges all the way from the people whom drive the train to the people who sweep the cow dung off the platforms.  So, as you can see from the above quote, the major goal of this project is to provide a web based portal in which these unorganized workers can help organize their workflow processes (such as filing complaints, viewing financial information such as pay stubs, and the like, etc).  And of course, it is Fingerprint Recognition which will be used (for something like this, why not used something tried and true???) for the workers to identify themselves in the web portal, and in the database itself. 

As I read this, it is really touching to me.  Although I have never lived in India, I have visited for long periods of time.  And what we take for granted here in the United States (such as automated processes every where we go) is not so in India.  Although India is very technologically oriented, its most basic infrastructure still has yet to be modernized.  In this regard, everything is still done in a very time intensive and consuming process.  The perfect example of this are the banks in Pune.  When I visited last, believe it or not, deposits into accounts were taken on paper and pencil ledgers.  And taking my mom to the hospital to get her potassium levels recorded was all done with the traditional manual processes. 

Now these are just examples, but the use of manual processes versus automated still exists virtually in all parts of India, and for foreigners visiting (and even the Indian citizens as well), this is extremely frustrating.  Hopefully, as a result of the use of Biometrics, these types and kinds of manual processes will cease to exist, making everybody’s life there just a lot easier. 

This quote best sums up what I am trying to get for this posting:  “[This contract will hopefully] . . . will create a model of labor laws and decent working conditions for the unorganized and informal labor force not only in the State of Maharashtra, but also in the rest of the world.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9371/).  But in the end, hopefully automation in India will not just be felt in this sector, but in all of the daily parts of life, which again, we take here for granted every day.

Multiple Fingers For Multiple Payments

Making Shopping Easier

As I have written before, as the Holiday Season is fast encroaching upon us, we want ways in which we don’t have to stand in line to pay for the gifts we want to send out.  Or for that matter, we don’t even want to stand in line period to do any shopping.  The best example of this is me.  Even during the non Holiday Season, I get pretty annoyed with having to wait in line, and pay for my items.  This is especially true at the grocery store.  Man, do I hate waiting in line at the Jewel Osco I shop at.  Well, there is an alternative to this, which is online shopping.  I mean heck, who can ask for more . . . shop from the convenience at your own, cozy home, with just a few clicks of the mouse, and voila, in just a week, you have all the products you ordered, delivered nicely by FedEx or UPS. 

I guess in this regard, I should probably just do my grocery shopping from Peapod to save the aggravation at the grocery store.  But, when I am talking about online shopping, I generally refer to sitting at the comforts of your sofa, with a laptop.  But with the explosion of the Smartphone, we can now shop online  when we are on go, literally anywhere in the world.  And two Biometric Vendors are actually now making this reality of shopping life into an easier existence for us all. 

So, here we go:  “Oberthur Technologies, a provider of secure technologies, and AuthenTec, a provider of security and identity management solutions, have joined forces to create SIM / Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) based designs that make NFC mobile payment via smartphones faster and more secure. The companies will combine their expertise in SIM/UICC security and fingerprint identity to jointly create easy-to-integrate solutions that enhance the speed and security of mobile payment transactions . . . The demonstration at CARTES will illustrate how quickly yet securely users can make a mobile payment by simply swiping a finger over AuthenTec’s smart sensor on a fingerprint-enabled phone such as Motorola’s ATRIX. Smartphone users can easily access a credit or debit card of their choice by associating different payment methods with different fingers. This allows them to choose a payment method, authenticate, and activate the desired payment card with a single swipe of a finger, then tap the phone on a terminal to complete the NFC transaction. The Oberthur Technologies-AuthenTec solution helps enable single-gesture payments, making NFC applications more convenient and secure.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9367/).

My Take

To be honest, there is nothing really new with paying for goods and services with Biometrics.  It has been done before, and currently being done at retail stores.  But, the degree to the extent which it is being used I am not totally sure.  I know for sure though, it is Fingerprint Recognition which is the predominant technology in these applications.  Probably the best example of this is the local Jewel Osco grocery store I shop at, located here in Lombard.  Some years ago, they introduced Fingerprint Recognition as a means of paying for groceries.  These small devices sat at all of the checkout lanes for at least a year, with no obvious usage that I could discern from.  I would on occasion ask the checkout clerk if anybody was using their fingerprint to pay for their groceries, and the answer would always be a resounding “Nope, not at all”. 

Then one day, to my surprise, all of the Fingerprint Recognition devices just mysteriously dissappeared.  Given my nature, I wanted to know the real reason why they were taken out.  I spent a few minutes asking questions to the manager on duty, and he basically said they were taken out because of the lack of usage by customers.  It became more of a cost than a benefit to have Biometrics at the store outlets, he told me.  But after further probing, it came to dawn on me, the real reason due to the lack of usage was the lack of customer training and awareness on part of the Biometrics Vendor who installed them.  True, there was a kiosk in which customers could enroll their fingerprints into the system, but there was nobody there, or even any kind or type of literature to show them what to do. 

And, as I recall this memory, and further read the Press Release, I also find it really interesting (as well as sophisticated, advanced, etc., you pick the adjective) is that a customer can choose the credit card payment they want to use with a different finger.  So for example, you can use your index finger to pay with your Discover card, and use your middle finger to pay with your VISA card, and your pinky finger to pay with your American Express card, and so on.  Heck, if you 10 different credit cards, you could conceivably use all ten of your fingers.

I have never seen this before, so I think it is ingenious, really.  But in order for this to be successful, and not fall on the way side like the example I just wrote about, the Smartphone Vendors and even the Biometrics Vendors are going to have teach the customer how to use this technology.  Earth shattering, really . . . just a few minutes of customer attention and focus, can translate into huge dollar volume of shopping and revenues in the end, making this truly a wonderful Holiday Season for retailers.

Advancements In Ocular Recognition

The Quest In Biometrics

In the world of Biometrics, one of the crowing achievements of any R & D scientist, laboratory, or even any Biometrics Vendor is to have that particular piece of robust technology, or especially that really great algorithm.  But what would make this technology or algorithm so great?  Well, putting the FAR and FRR and ATV metrics aside, it would be to have extract the most unique features, either from a physiological standpoint, or behavioral standpoint.  Really, all Biometrics currently extract the unique features from us, whether it is the shape of our hand, the minutae of our fingerprint, or even the way we type on a keyboard. 

But, keep in mind, having that extremely robust algorithm is also a mathematical function of the uniqueness of the specific Biometric in question.  For example, imagine a spectrum, and on it, imagine the gamut of Biometric Technologies which are available today.  At one end of the least unique would be Hand Geometry Recognition, and at the other end would be Iris and Retinal Recognition.  By far, the latter is the most unique and rich in terms of Biometric information and data.  And if you really dig into much further, it is the retina which possesses the most unique and rich information. 

And although I am far from being an expert on the eye, I have written a pretty exhaustive article on retinal recognition, which took many months of research and writing, and a couple of years ago, was published out of Europe.  Many a Biometric Vendor has tried to capitalize on technology focused around the iris and the retina, some of have been really successful, and some have not been so successful, with creating that robust algorithm.  The first true mathematical algorithms developed were that of Iris Recognition, by Dr. John Daugmann, of the University of the Cambridge, from the United Kingdom.  His pioneering work led to the development of the technology which confirmed the before and after identities of that ever famous National Geographic picture of the Afghan girl known as “Sharbat Gula”.  Probably of the of the other biggest advantages of iris and retinal recognition is that it is not prone, for the most part, from changes in the outside environment, and physiologically, it is very stable (versus, the finger, for example). 

But probably the biggest impediment to iris and retinal recognition is that of privacy rights.  People are just downright squeamish about having their eyes scanned, and heck, even I was when I first used an Iris Recognition device.  But also, keep in mind, that in iris and retinal recognition, it is only certain components which are measured in that particular itself.  For example, with the retina, it is the mapping of blood vessels in the back of the eye which leads into the optic nerve of the brain, which is examined. 

With regards to the iris, it is the vector orientation of the unique features in the iris which is closely looked at for extraction.  But, that is until now.  Just today, I came across a brand new whitepaper released by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (also known as “NIST”) which examines the other, surrounding parts of the eye as part of the overall authentication process. 

This is known as “Ocular Recognition”, and here are some details of it:  “Ocular recognition is a multi-components method which makes use of a variety of features in and around the human eye: eyebrows, eyelashes, eyelids, eye shape, sclera, iris, pupil, etc. Iris recognition makes use of some of the same multiple components, but only as a means to an end—to navigate and to extract the iris itself, from which all subsequent analytic comparisons are done. On the other hand, ocular recognition treats these components as features onto themselves which become part of the comparative process.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.nist.gov/customcf/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=909790).  And now, the researchers and scientists whom were involved in the compilation and publication of this white paper want to take this new part of iris and retinal recognition, and see how this new technique works under a broad range of applications, something which has never been done before. 

Here are some more details of this:  “With more factors at its disposal, ocular recognition hasthe potential for higher comparative power—bringing that potential to a practical reality is the challenge that this paper addresses . . . The broad goal of this paper is to encourage the development of robust ocular/iris recognition algorithms that yield accurate biometric results for a broad range of image and environmental conditions; e.g., a near-infrared (NIR) video- frame captured at a distance with an Iris On the Move (IOM) 1 system which we call “distantimage- based” contrasted with a classical image acquisition system . . .” (SOURCE:  http://www.nist.gov/customcf/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=909790).  

The entire white paper can be downloaded here: 

http://www.nist.gov/customcf/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=909790 

I plan to read this exciting new breakthrough, and of course, provide my viewpoints and commentary into a separate posting in the near future.

 Until then, happy reading of this white paper!!!