Biometric systems utilize personal characteristics, which are directly linked to an individual, to authenticate or identify a person. These systems collect unique biometric traits from each person and use them to verify or identify the individual.

What is a Biometric System?

A biometric system processes biometric characteristics such as face, iris, and fingerprint to verify or identify a person. With the rising use of biometrics, these systems are being integrated into everyday life. The most efficient system is known as the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

How Does a Biometric System Work?

A biometric system operates by obtaining biometric data from a person. An algorithm then selects specific characteristics to create a biometric template. The system can verify the person’s identity by comparing this template against a biometric database, even while processing hundreds of millions of data points in seconds.

Performance of a biometric system is measured by three main characteristics:

• False Rejection Rate (FRR): This represents the likelihood of detection errors, where the system fails to recognize a user whose data is in the database, requiring the user to verify their identity again.

• False Acceptance Rate (FAR): This is the probability of the system incorrectly matching a biometric characteristic with the wrong template, granting unauthorized access.

• Equal Error Rate (ERR): This is the point where FRR and FAR are equal, representing the ideal balance between the two.

Each biometric method (face, fingerprint, palmprint, iris, etc.) has different values for these rates, affecting the system's accuracy.

Why is a Biometric System Used?

Though often considered modern technology, biometrics have been used since the 19th century, initially in police and criminal departments. However, manual matching was time-consuming and prone to human error.

Modern biometric systems leverage artificial intelligence and neural networks to perform high-speed matching, even with low-quality images. This advanced technology, awarded by NIST, allows for efficient and accurate biometric recognition.

Where is a Biometric System Used?

Biometric technology is rapidly growing in government, law enforcement, and enterprise sectors. Its main advantages include time efficiency, reliability, and precision. For instance, Innovatrics Biometric Identity Management System suits various projects, even with minimal hardware requirements.

How are Biometric Systems Used in Criminal Investigations?

Biometric systems are crucial for accurate identification in criminal investigations, using faces from footage, latent fingerprints, or palmprints. Our Criminal Case Management System processes numerous faces from live video feeds, with facial recognition performance recognized by NIST FRVT. The system groups and categorizes prints into criminal cases, aiding investigators by connecting information and searching for matches in the database.

How are Biometric Systems Used in Trusted Enrollment?

Biometric systems facilitate trusted enrollment through self or assisted registration using an ID and photo. Features include Optical Character Recognition (OCR), duplicate checks, face matching, age and gender estimation, liveness checks, document authenticity and validity, and applicant uniqueness. All data is stored in a central biometric register, accessible via web applications, smartphone apps, or dedicated mobile stations for assistance.