Author: Anne-Marie Flemingbr
Source: articleage.combr
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Protecting Critical Infrastructure through Biometrics
Biometric Security Identification Helps to Control Access to
Key Assets, Structures, Borders and Ports.
By: Ann-Marie Fleming January 2006
Biometrics, an authentication technology that measures unique
human characteristics as a way to confirm an individuals
identity, has been around for some time now; however since 9/11
this industry has received significant attention as a valuable
addition to homeland security solutions. Biometric technology
encompasses a range of identification measures such as
fingerprints, palm readers, facial recognition, and retina scans
as they work to minimize security risks in the protection of
critical infrastructure and the screening of access through
borders and ports.
Infrastructure Risk:
The main vulnerabilities of our critical infrastructures are
the widespread use of inadequate personal identification systems
and the pronounced absence of appropriate low-cost equipment for
the detection of dangerous substances, describes Dore Perler,
CEO of Sense Holdings Inc. (OTCBB: SEHO), a developer of
next-generation biometric and integrated explosive detection
technologies. While very cost-effective metal detectors
currently exist, there are no equivalent cost-effective
technologies for the detection of explosives, chemical or
biological agents. Sense believes that biometric systems
presently offer the most robust solution to personal
identification uncertainties and Micro Electro-Mechanical
Sensors (MEMS) will to do the same for the detection of
dangerous substances, explains Perler.
Restricting control rooms, protecting critical supplies of
sensitive information and vulnerable personnel creates a need
for the deployment of not only effective access technology, but
also systems that can operate in a non-obtrusive manner to
become a part of daily activity. Genex Technologies, a
subsidiary of Technest Holdings (OTCBB: TCNH), a provider of
advanced remote sensor systems, chemical detectors, intelligent
surveillance and advanced 3D imaging technology solutions, sees
an advantage to the development of biometric systems such as
facial recognition that do not require an active effort on the
part of the entrant as is the case with fingerprint systems,
iris scanners, and palm readers. Robert Tarini, Chairman and CEO
of Technest Holdings explains, The face is a much more public
identifier, and there is already a wide precedent for its use on
drivers licenses, passports, and other media. The challenge for
main stream adaptation of the technology to occur is for the
statistical accuracy of facial recognition to improve to the
point where it is 95%-97% accurate; presently the technology is
less than 90% accurate in many applications.
Border and Port Security: Securing critical infrastructure is a
by-product of effective border and port screening measures, a
key area within homeland security that is heavily aided by
biometrics. Through securing our nations access points by more
effectively screening entrants, potential risks to valuable
assets and infrastructure within the country are more protected.
Brian Ruttenbur, Equity Analyst, Morgan Keegan Co. Inc.
describes, The type of biometrics getting the biggest boost at
his time is fingerprint identification. We are seeing that
finger is the standard; however we anticipate the most
percentage growth over the next year to surround facial
recognition technology, because facial biometrics is the ICAO
Standard that will be used on every travel document. Finger has
received the initial boost, and face over time will grow faster
percentage wise as we are dealing with a smaller base.
Motorolas (NYSE: MOT) Robert L. Horton, Director Strategic
Product Marketing, Biometrics Business Unit explains, Homeland
security, including securing the nations borders, is a critical
issue. Many countries have entry-exit policies and procedures
that make it easy for individuals posing a national security
threat to enter and leave the country undetected. Today,
democratic nations are faced with a radically new strategic
challenge: how to identify, out of the many millions of foreign
nationals who seek entry each year, those few who may be threats
to our national security? The key word is identify. We cannot
stop the terrorists unless we know who they are – and can
identify them in time to get the right information to the right
people. Balancing these conflicting goals of economics and
security demands a screening process that nets the bad guys
while letting legitimate visitors through with minimal delay and
inconvenience. This is where biometric technology comes in.
Most border security processes identify travelers by what they
have (travel documents such as passports and visas) and what
they know (asking travelers questions). The travel document also
establishes a travelers eligibility to enter the country.
Biometrics on the other hand, focuses more on who the person is
- characteristics that can more securely bind a persons
identity to a travel document. Such documents are more reliable,
cannot be forgotten and are less easily lost, stolen or
guessed, concludes Horton.
The focus on biometric authentication by the Department of
Homeland Security has led to continued growth in this arena.
The United States Government continues to push the use of
biometrics for border and port security, and this has been a
very good thing for the biometrics industry, states Ruttenbur.
As described by Robert Tarini, one of Homeland Securitys key
challenges entails accurate facial recognition for the
monitoring of critical watchlists. With thousands of people
walking through critical borders, ports and main transportation
hubs, to date there has not been a successful facial recognition
solution to check for face matches against known terrorists due
to problems associated with the comparison of surveillance
photos to watchlist databases using traditional 2D systems.
Complicating this process is the fact that most public areas
have diverse lighting conditions and difficult camera angles.
Genexs SureMatch 3D Suite for WatchList is a solution created
to address the critical public need for security in open areas
working to convert watchlist databases from limited 2D photos
into dynamic 3D face models, states Tarini.
Addressing Vulnerabilities:
Sense is utilizing biometrics to address the need for accurate
personal identification systems and integrated detection devices
for harmful substances. We are currently marketing eight
different well-developed and mature biometric identification
solutions geared to specific market needs. We are also working
with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a part of the US Department
of Energy, in the final development of our proprietary MEMS
handheld explosives detector. Our MEMS technology offers
unprecedented sensitivity at very low cost and is fully
protected by 11 US Patents. We are planning to have a handheld
demonstrator unit completed by the first quarter of 2006.
Identix Inc. (NASDAQ: IDNX), a multi-biometric technology
company, maintains a broad range of offerings and services that
play into homeland security. The most well-known according to
Frances Zelazny, Director of Marketing, is in the live scan
space used to conduct background checks to basically establish a
trackable identity before you are letting them into your
facility. Identix has technology that is used to develop other
systems and applications for physical and large scale access
control. We also enable biometric id cards and facial
recognition systems that can be used to screen visitors against
any watchlists of people previously barred from access, states
Zelazny.
Motorola offers a wide product line of biometric technologies,
such as Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS),
LiveScan, multi-modal biometric enrollment and matching to
address a wide range of security needs. Governments worldwide
use these Motorola products in a wide array of applications that
include passports, national ID cards, refugee and asylum
programs, criminal justice systems, and welfare fraud
prevention. Our ground-breaking use of 3D face combined with
face or finger fusion make Motorolas portfolio one of the most
accurate in the industry. This enhanced portfolio reinforces
Motorolas dedication to the biometrics market, illustrates our
expertise in fusing multiple biometrics, and shows how we can
integrate software with smart cards and secure documents,
describes Horton.
For entry points such as doors, guard stations, or checkpoints
Genex Technologies SureMatch 3D Suite for Access Control uses
the readily available feature data on the face to create a
highly secure matching template and compensates for altered
expressions and occlusions that typically plague other facial
recognition systems, according to Tarini.
Challenges still remain in the area of standardization, explains
Ruttenbur who states, Fingerprint identification currently has
the most standards and that is why it has generated the biggest
level of adoption, but when we are talking about
interoperability and standardization there is still work to do.
At this time the area of facial recognition represents the
biometric segment with the greatest need for consistent
standards.
A Biometric Future: The awareness of the need for effective
access control continues to grow according to Zelazny, who
states, In the last year there has been a surge in the demand
for fingerprinting services. Within the last 11 years we have
fingerprinted 3 million people with 600,000 in this year alone.
This increase is directly tied to the fact that more and more
people understand that granting someone a job such as a teacher,
bus driver, federal employees etc are going to require
background checks to establish trust and identity before you let
someone into your facility. Growth has also been seen in
biometric identification for passwords and visas, federal
credentials, registered travel programs, transportation worker
identification cards are all going to have biometrics
incorporated into them. This all plays into the growth of the
industry and clearly into what Identix offers.
While present day facial recognition is largely based on 2D
implementations Tarini is looking toward future implementations
utilizing 3D facial recognition algorithms, which will increase
the accuracy of the systems to allow for reliable mainstream
adoption. The extra dimensional data set from 3D technology
will bridge the performance gap and create significant market
penetration. Genex Technologies is well positioned to provide
all existent facial recognition products with significantly
improved and fully integrated/turn key 3D facial recognition
thru its SureMatch suite of 3D algorithms and software, states
Tarini.
Motorola recently announced that it is advancing its position as
a top-tier biometrics solutions provider by enhancing its
portfolio of identity management products. The new
comprehensive Motorola Biometrics Identity Management and
Security Solutions portfolio broadens Motorolas commitment to
help governments evolve to next generation ePassports and
National ID cards to help deliver safer travel worldwide. These
biometric solutions combine fingerprints with 3D and 2D facial
images identifying people by the sections of the face that are
less susceptible to alteration. This highly accurate multi-modal
biometric algorithm is designed to produce and verify travel
documents, national IDs, voter registration, and social benefits
and enables governments to more efficiently launch new secure
document programs via a single point of access, explains Horton.
Constant technical advances and higher production levels have
resulted in constantly improving biometric products at
significantly lower costs. We are beginning to see large-scale
deployments and this trend shows no sign of abatement for the
foreseeable future. The biometric industry has a clear and
bright future that will undoubtedly make a very positive and
significant difference to national security and commerce
throughout the world, explains Perler.
A longer term view sees a shift in this industry to an expanded
market beyond the government realm. Down the road, over the
next three to five years, there is going to be a huge migration
of biometric technology from the government to the commercial
sector, believes Ruttenbur.
Ann-Marie Fleming Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the
United States, where she attended Webster University. She also
holds an Honors B.A from the University of Toronto. She has over
fifteen years of experience within the financial industry to
include retail banking and brokerage, investment banking, and
mortgage brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a
firm background in corporate research. Disclaimer:
www.InvestorIdeas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp,
www.HomelandDefenseStocks.com/Companies/HomelandDefense/Disclaime
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