These days, we commonly see biometric devices being used in public places to verify and authenticate identity of individuals for a variety of tasks such as sim allocation, attendance, cash withdrawal, money transfer etc . However, it will be interesting to know that biometric scanning is not a new technology, and it dates back to about 500 BC. In ancient times, people used “clay” to imprint their fingerprints and signed business agreements with it. In the modern world, biometric devices are used in various fields, such as civil identification, law enforcement, military, healthcare, and many more. They are one of the most secure ways of verifying a person’s identity. The biometric industry is aspiring towards good growth in the coming years. In 2023, the Indian biometric technology market generated a revenue of USD 2400 million. By 2030, it is estimated that it will grow at a CAGR of 23.3% and reach an estimated value of USD 10400 million.
What are Biometric Devices & its Types
Biometric devices are those devices that are used to capture the biometric data of users, including fingerprint, iris, etc. Generally, these biometric devices can be divided into two categories – Discrete Devices, which need to be connected to a host device, such as a personal computer or laptop; and Integrated Devices, which have in-built sensors, such as a phone or a tablet.
Biometric devices are widely used for conducting security identification and authentication of people. The biometric devices are capable of recognising a user and validating if the identity of the user is correct or not. The biometric security devices have integrated automated capabilities and study unique features of humans, such as fingerprints, and facial features, and recognize the iris and voice of the person. In the whole process, the biometric devices eliminate the need for human involvement or manual scanning.
The invention and evolution of biometric devices
As we mentioned earlier, the biometric way of authenticating someone dates to the Babylon empire in Mesopotamia, in 500 BC. The recorded history goes back to the early 19th century, when Alphonse Bertillon, a French criminologist and biometric researcher created the system keeping records of people’s physical measurements and pictures, which police could use to identify criminals. Though this system was not very advanced, it made way for the further development and application of technology.
In the 1890s, Sir Edward Henry, an administrator in Bengal in India, invented The Henry Classification System, one of the first methods to identify people using fingerprints by their characteristics. By the late 19th century, fingerprinting was used for two main objectives – identifying criminals and signatures on contracts. In the 1990s, the National Institute of Standards and Technologies was established to research biometric recognition technology. During those days, an idea was presented, that established that irises and fingerprints are unique to each person. In 1991, face detection technology came into being, allowing the recognition of individuals in real-time. In 1994, the first iris identification technology was patented. All these inventions created a storm in the biometric field in the early 21st century. The US government received hundreds of requests for patents in biometric systems. The use of biometrics expanded from government institutions and major corporations to commercial purposes.
Different Types of Biometric Devices
There are different types of biometric devices available these days. Each device has a wide range of characteristics, advantages, and limitations. The more are the features in a biometric device, the more it is likely to cost. Therefore, it is ideal to know the various types of biometric devices and understand the need for features before buying. Let us understand the few common types of biometric devices –
Fingerprinting
Fingerprinting technology is the most cost-effective and easy-to-use technology. This is the reason why it is widely used in security systems to authenticate users on smartphones, and tablets. The fingerprint technology uses several types of sensors to work effectively, such as Optical Sensors that focus light on the fingertips, Capacitive Sensors that use an electrostatic field, Thermal Line Sensors that work as per the pattern of the fingerprint, and more.
Biometric Authentication Devices
The Biometric Authentication devices make sure that the identity of the person is correct.. They compare the physical and behavioral characteristics of the data that is stored in the database. They are mostly used to provide entry to buildings, locked rooms, and access to computers or smartphones.
Biometric Identification Devices
Biometric Identification Devices are used when the identity of a person is to be determined. In this case, the biometrics of a person are taken and matched with the biometrics database to accurately identify a person. This is done by taking a biometric detail of a person, which could be their face, voice, or fingerprint details.
The use and application of biometric devices
The law enforcement agencies all around the world use biometric devices to operate. Some of the common devices used by them are automated fingerprint identification systems, palm print identification, etc. One of the common examples of biometric devices used in civil security is the Automated Biometric Identification System, used on a wide scale to match a sample with a database. Live facial recognition in public spaces, such as airports, international borders, temples, stadiums, etc is used to recognize people in crowded areas.
In India, e-passports have been launched that are equipped with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Chip and an antenna. It contains the passport holder’s unique details and biometric data. The key advantage of having the ePassport is that it keeps the data digitally signed in a chip, which can be authenticated by the immigration officials. This helps in preventing forgery and fake passport fraud. Another shining example of using biometric devices to authenticate the citizens of India is the Aadhaar card. It enables the government to identify each citizen uniquely as the database has captured the unique biometric features, such as fingerprints, facial features, and iris scans.
How do Biometric Devices work?
The biometric devices work with the help of their three in-built components– a sensor, a computer, and software. All the biometric systems work in three steps, which are:
- Enrolment: This is done when the biometric system is used for the first time. At the time of enrollment, the biometric device collects some of your data. For instance, it can capture your name along with the image or any other characteristic.
- Storage: The system then evaluates the recorded characteristic and converts it into a line of codes, rather than saving the entire image.
- Comparison: The comparison takes place when the user interacts with the system for the second time. It then matches the provided characteristic with the stored data. There can be only two possible outcomes of the comparison–the system may either accept it or reject it.
The measurements used by biometric devices can be segregated into two types, which are physiological and behavioral. The physiological measurements are DNA recognition, iris scanning, retina recognition, face recognition, ear recognition, fingerprint recognition, and more. On the other hand, the behavioral measurements are gait characteristics (walking) recognition, keystroke recognition, voice biometrics, and signature recognition. The behavioral biometric solutions work by creating a user profile based on how the user interacts with the system while using their device. Some of the examples of the collection of behavioral data are the unique keystrokes that they make on their mobile phone, or their general location while using an app or lip or eye movement, etc.
Pros and cons of biometric devices
There are various advantages of biometric devices, but at the same time, the technology has its cons as well. The biometric devices used around the world have common features, in the way that they work on human characteristics that are universal in nature. The biometrics are perfect for accurate verification and can be recorded both by consent and without consent. The data is measurable and allows for comparisons in the future. They cannot be mixed up or stolen as the biometrics characteristics are unique for everyone. On the other hand, if we take a look at the cons of biometric devices and their technology, then we will find that they have been facing a lot of criticism globally because they deal with people’s personal data. Though biometrics are used to handle fraud, if the data falls into the wrong hands other than the government, it can result in serious misuse. People may lose their privacy in such cases. Therefore, biometric devices must be used keeping data security issues in mind.
To conclude
The biometric devices used in the modern world are quite advanced in technology and use sensors to capture and store people’s personal biometric data. The biometric devices use various types of biometric characteristics to establish the identity and authentication of a person, which is their ultimate objective. They work on the characteristics of universality, uniqueness, and acceptability. They are facial recognition, fingerprints, iris scanning, facial recognition, voice recognition, retina scanning, DNA matching, finger geometry, vein recognition, and more. The biometrics can be captured both knowingly and unknowingly through your image, fingerprint or voice record. Due to its accurate results, the biometric technology has been accepted worldwide. Every year, governments are launching mobile applications for citizen identification, resulting in the demand for biometric devices.
Types of Biometrics
https://www.biometricsinstitute.org/what-is-biometrics/types-of-biometrics/
India Biometric Technology Market Size & Outlook, 2030
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/biometric-technology-market/india#:~:text=The%20India%20biometric%20technology%20market,revenue%20generating%20component%20in%202023.
What is an e-passport?
https://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/faqEPassport