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Proposed bill calls for ID card for U.S. workers to curb illegal immigration
Advocates of immigration reform are pushing for a bill in the Senate which would create a national biometric identification card all American workers would eventually be required to obtain; the biometric data would likely be either fingerprints or a scan of the veins in the top of the hand; employers will not be able to hire applicants who do not present a valid ID
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Voice security technology advanced
The acoustic parameters of the voice are affected by the shape of the vocal tract, and different people have different vocal tracts; new research will help improve the speed of speech authentication, without sacrificing accuracy
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New research raises questions about validity of forensic DNA comparison method
In the mid-1990s, law enforcement added mitochondrial DNA comparison as one more tool for identifying people; because there are so many mitochondria in each cell, readable copies of their genomes can often be found even when the nuclear genome has been damaged; mitochondrial DNA-matching is based on the assumption that it does not vary much in an individual; researchers now find that this is a questionable assumption
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New identity authentication method: nose biometrics
Unlike other facial features used for biometrics, such as eyes or ears, noses are difficult to conceal and also are not changed much by facial expression; researchers find that nose scanning showed good potential for use as a biometric, with a good recognition rate and a faster rate of image processing than whole face recognition
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Animetrics receives patents for face recognition
The company receives three patents for generation of 3D models from arbitrary numbers of uncalibrated photographs; generating databases from 3D models for use in biometric systems for training or for recognition; and face recognition systems based on normalization using 3D models
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U.S. buys iris scanners for prisons to prevent mistaken release of inmates
The U.S. government has allocated funds for prisons to purchase iris recognition scanning machines; the purpose is create fool-proof system which would prevent inmates from impersonating other inmates to gain early release
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Identical DNA a problem for Georgia police: Which identical twin committed the crime?
DNA found at the scene of a murder in Georgia pointed to a felon known to the police; when he was arrested, he insisted the crime was committed by his identical twin; the two twins share identical DNA -- but fingerprints, and cell phone records, pointed to the second brother, who confessed to the crime
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New facial authentication system installed at Israel Discount Bank
A bank installs an advanced facial recognition system to verify the identity of employees and customers who want to go into the vault; the system can identify people in difficult conditions such as dim light; changes, such as sunglasses, beards, moustaches, different hairdos, or a hat do not affect its ability
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Polish priest installs fingerprint reader to check for mass attendance
A Polish priest installs a biometric fingerprint reader at his church to monitor schoolchildren’s attendance at mass; the pupils will mark their fingerprints every time they go to church over three years, and if they attend 200 masses they will be freed from the obligation of having to pass an exam prior to their confirmation
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Japanese biometric border fooled by tape
Two South Korean women have managed to fool Japan’s expensive biometric border-control system by using special tapes on their fingers; the invisible tape carries the finger prints of another person, and the South Korean broker who supplied the tape also provided false passports to go with it; this is the third known case of South Korean women using the fingerprint-altering tape to enter Japan; in all three cases, the women managed to fool the biometric screening, but were later caught because they over-stayed their visas
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L-1 Identity Solutions’ Daugman-based iris algorithm passes test
Rigorous tests by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) find that the accuracy of L-1’s iris recognition technology as markedly higher than prior results, and that improvements came without sacrificing speed; the evaluation also showed that L-1's accuracy did not come at the expense of template size
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Applying FIPS 201 to aviation security and counter-terrorism information sharing
Would implementation of PIV based access control help improve the performance of the intelligence community? One expert wonders whether the fundamental ability of PIV and PIV-I to improve creation, distribution, and access to information is fully appreciated by the U.S. intelligence community and DHS
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Keyboard strokes reveal who you are – and whether your are stressed
The rhythms of a person's typing style are stable over time, allowing computers and ATMs to identify you; researchers suggest key strokes could be used not only to verify identity but also to detect stress or even spot early signs of Alzheimer's disease
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U.K. ID card scheme for foreigners extended
On Tuesday the U.K. government announced that from now on, Tier 2 foreign nationals will have to apply for a card if they wish to extend their stay in the United Kingdom; Tier 2 includes skilled workers, ministers of religion, sportsmen and women, representatives of overseas businesses, and dependants
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Handheld touch screen device may lead to mobile fingerprint ID
The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team wanted to replace the 20-pound rugged laptop plus fingerprint scanner their hostage rescue teams lug around with a smaller and lighter device; NIST researchers develop one
More Headlines
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Biometrics technology, helpful in determing a person is who they say they are, is at the center of a debate in the New Zealand parliament. The government is planning to use biometric information to prevent identity fraud to prevent illegal border crossings. However, there is concern that this effort may extend beyond the realm of immigration control
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The Long View
TrendConsumer-driven face recognition changes public debate
New photo programs from Apple and Google include revolutionary face-spotting technology; trouble is, Google's Picasa would allow tagged photos from all its Picasa users to create a global database matching photos to e-mail addresses
TrendGingrich says biometric ID part of a solution to the Medicare problem
States ask Congress for $100 billion to help them cope with Medicare costs; Gingrich says that each state must include at least four elements in its plan to address the Medicare crisis before it will be entitled to federal funds; one of these elements are biometric IDs for Medicare recipients
TrendIndia to see a large, broad growth in expenditures on domestic security
A series of terrorist attacks, culminating in the coordinated attack in Mumbai last month, convinced both government and industry in India that more security -- much more security -- is required to cope with mounting threats to domestic peace; business opportunities abound for companies in IT security, biometric, surveillance, detection, situational awareness, and more
