Topic 13.

Biometric Authentication Devices

Authentication
Authentication is, in an information security sense, the set of methods we use to establish a
claim of identity as being true. It is important to note that authentication only establishes whether
the claim of identity that has been made is correct. Authentication does not infer or imply
anything about what the party being authenticated is allowed to do; this is a separate task known
as authorization. The important thing to understand for now is that authentication needs to take
place first. Factors in terms of authentication, there are several methods we can use, with each
category referred to as a factor. Within each factor, there are a number of possible methods we
can use. When we are attempting to authenticate a claim of identity, the more factors we use, the
more positive our results will be. The different factors are
 something you know (password),
 something you are (Iris scan),
 something you have (swipe card),
 something you do (gait (walking) recognition),
 the place you are (at a specific terminal).
Something you know is a very common authentication factor. This can include passwords, PINs,
passphrases, or most any item of information that a person can remember. We can see a very
common implementation of this in the passwords we use to log in to our accounts on computers.
This is somewhat of a weak factor because if the information the factor depends on is exposed,
this can nullify the uniqueness of our authentication method. Something you are is a factor based
on the relatively unique physical attributes of an individual, often referred to as biometrics. This
factor can be based on simple attributes, such as height, weight, hair color, or eye color, but these
do not tend to be unique enough to make very secure identifiers. More commonly used are more
complex identifiers such as fingerprints, iris or retina patterns, or facial characteristics. This
factor is a bit stronger, as forging or stealing a copy of a physical identifier is a somewhat more
difficult, although not impossible, task. There is some question as to whether biometrics truly is
an authentication factor or whether it really only constitutes verification. Something you have is
a factor generally based on the physical possession of an item or a device, although this factor
can extend into some logical concepts as well. We can see such factors in general use in the form
of ATM cards, state or federally issued identity cards, or software-based security tokens. Some
institutions, such as banks, have begun to use access to logical devices such as cell phones or e-
mail accounts as methods of authentication as well. This factor can vary in strength depending on
the implementation. In the case of a security token, we would actually need to steal a specific
device in order to falsify the authentication method. In the case of access to an e-mail address
being used as this type of factor, we have a measure of considerably less strength. Something
you do, sometimes considered a variation of something you are, is a factor based on the actions
or behaviors of an individual. Such factors may include analysis of the individual’s gait,
measurement of multiple factors in his or her handwriting, the time delay between keystrokes as
he or she types a passphrase, or similar factors. These factors present a very strong method of
authentication and are very difficult to falsify or create false positive. They do, however, have
the potential to create false negative and incorrectly reject legitimate users at a higher rate than
some of the other factors, resulting in denials for some users that should actually be
authenticated. Where you are is a geographically based authentication factor. This factor operates
differently than the other factors, as its method of authentication depends on the person being
authenticated as being physically present at a particular location or locations. The most common
implementation of this is for servers to only be accessible from a terminal in the server room.
This factor, although potentially of less utility than some of the other factors, is very difficult to
counter without entirely subverting the system performing the authentication or gaining physical
access.
Biometric System Architecture

In general, most of biometrics based authentication systems have a common scenario of the
practical implementation of each method. This general mechanism is divided into two main
processes:
 enrolment process
 release process
In the enrolment stage, a collection of data of user biometric attributes is included. The gathered
information of system participants is manipulated in order to capture as much as biometric
features of each individual. Then, these captured attributes are mathematically analyzed via
specific algorithms and later on an unique template will be created for each user and stored in a
database which will be used in the second stage. In the release process, a comparison is made
between sample of data of a subject and the template that is already stored in the database from
the first process. The obtained result from the comparison process leads to the decision of either
identifying or verifying a person identity. However, there is a potential difference between
identification and verification of biometric authentication systems. The same scenario is
conducted in most of biometric based authentication techniques to perform the security checking.
Biometric system architecture has the following main components:
1. Sensor: The sensor is the first block of the biometric system which collects all the important
data for biometrics. It is the interface between the system and the real world. Typically, it is an
image acquisition system, but it depends on the features or characteristics required that it has to
be replaced or not.
2. Pre-processing: It is the second block that executes all the pre-processing. Its function is to
enhance the input and to eliminate artifacts from the sensor, background noise, etc. It performs
some kind of normalization.
3. Feature extractor: This is the third and the most important step in the biometric system.
Extraction of features is to be done to identify them at a later stage. The goal of a feature
extractor is to characterize an object to be recognized by measurements.
4. Template generator: The template generator generates the templates that are used for
authentication with the help of the extracted features. A template is a vector of numbers or an
image with distinct tracts. Characteristics obtained from the source groups come together to
form a template. Templates are being stored in the database for comparison and serve as input
for the match.
5. Matcher: The matching phase is performed by the use of a match. In this part, the procured
template is given to a matcher that compares it with the stored templates using various
algorithms such as Hamming distance, etc. After matching the inputs, the results will be
generated.
6. Application device: It is a device that uses the results of a biometric system. The Iris
recognition system and facial recognition system are some common examples of application
devices.

Types of biometrics
A person’s biometric traits fall into the following three categories:
1. Biological
2. Physiological
3. Behavioral.
A physiological trait is a biological pattern found on or in the human body, such as a face,
fingerprints, iris pattern, hand geometry, etc. Behavioral patterns, however, develop over time
and become consistent characteristics, such as handwriting, voice, gait, and typing rhythm. The
biometric feature that is used to identify an individual determines the type of biometric system.
Biological characteristics and behavioral traits of individuals can be detected and from which
distinct, repeatable biometric features can be extracted to automate recognition.

Biological Biometrics: These are based on genetic and molecular characteristics. DNA, Blood
type, Saliva, Hormone or enzyme patterns
 1. DNA
DNA is present in all human cellular material (hair, blood, skin etc.) but biometric sampling is
commonly undertaken by obtaining a buccal swab of the inside surface of the face cheek to
remove skin cells. Biometric DNA sampling therefore requires contact with the subject.

Use cases. Identity management & biometric databases

 Paternity testing and identity assurance for children – a child’s DNA profile is compared to the
profiles of both the mother and alleged father. The true biological relationship between the child
and the father can then be determined i.e. either confirmed as the biological father of the child or
excluded by the DNA and not the father.
 The first use of DNA profiling in law enforcement occurred in the UK in 1986 after the sexual
assault and murders of two young girls on separate occasions near a village in Leicestershire,
England. DNA was recovered from both crime scenes and a local man confessed to the crimes.
However, his DNA did not match the DNA samples and a mass screening was subsequently
conducted that collected some 4000 DNA samples from local men but failed to identify any
matching DNA. Sometime later a man was heard to tell a friend that he had given a blood sample
on behalf of another man, Colin Pitchfork. Pitchfork was arrested and his DNA was found to
match the samples from the crime scenes which led to his conviction for the crimes and the
exoneration of the original suspect.
 The use of DNA in the exoneration of innocent suspects/convicted prisoners was realised by
Defense Attorneys Scheck and Neufield in 1992. They set up the Innocence Project in New York
City which examined cases across the USA where evidence was available for post-conviction
DNA testing. Although some cases resulted in the confirmation that the correct person had been
convicted, hundreds of other cases challenged the legitimacy of the convictions and helped
establish the innocence of the imprisoned individuals.

 DNA profiling also plays a crucial role in the identification of the deceased and especially in
mass disasters where it is used alongside fingerprints and forensic odontology (dental
comparisons) as one of the three, internationally recognised primary identifiers.

2. Ear
The shape and features of the human ear reveal specific characteristics that allow for the
identification of an individual. Ear identification has been used for many years in countries such
as France and details of an arrested person’s ears were collected alongside face images and
fingerprints as part of the criminal record. With the advent of advanced computing algorithms
such as convolutional neural networks during the last decade ear recognition has become a
viable automated biometric technology that now extends beyond its traditional law enforcement
applications.
Use cases
 Modern biometrics technology can now capture and process ear features in the same way as
other facial features. Ear recognition has not yet been widely adopted but could be used for
security purposes e.g. access to facilities and identity authentication in large enclosed spaces. It
could also be used to support and supplement other biometric modalities (for example, face)
in multi-modal applications.

 Ear comparisons have been conducted for law enforcement investigations in various jurisdictions
for many years, but these have often involved ear impressions left at crime scenes, for example
someone listening at a window with their ear pressed against the glass. The distortion of the ear
and its unique structures in these cases has sometimes been difficult to reconcile with the control
samples taken from suspects and as a result the evidence has often been inconclusive. The use of
ear recognition to identify individuals from a distance is more likely to become the main use case
for law enforcement in the future.

3. Eyes-Iris
The iris is the coloured circular segment at the front of the eye that contains the pupil at its
centre. The iris controls the size of the pupil to adjust the amount of light entering the eye. Iris
recognition technology uses the unique patterns of the coloured tissue that form the iris. These
patterns are captured by a camera operating in near infra-red wavelengths. The first iris cameras
had to be close to the eyes (but not in contact with them) in order to record sufficient detail but
technological advances now allow cameras to be placed several feet away and capture the irises
of those on the move such as at an airport boarding gate. The system uses pattern-recognition
algorithms, in a similar way to automated fingerprint recognition systems, to perform
comparisons in both the biometric one-to-one (1:1) verification to authenticate a suggested
identity and one-to-many (1:N) identification modes as a probe to search a database to establish
if any of the other iris records provide a potential match.
Use cases

 Humanitarian agencies deploy iris recognition systems to assist beneficiaries in emergency

situations, refugee camps etc. This enables people to establish their identity and authenticate it in
order to obtain food, shelter, vouchers, financial services (ATM access) and other assistance as
well as combating fraudulent demands for such resources
 Iris recognition is used in some smartphones for self- authentication purposes.

 Iris is one of the modalities used for airport e-gates and the latest technologies can scan the eyes
of passengers as they walk past instead of the traditional static enrolment where the subject had
to keep still and bring their eyes close to the scanner.

 Iris recognition is being used by some law enforcement agencies to supplement fingerprint and
face recognition identity management resources and it is also used in some prisons to control
inmate entry and exit requirements (for example, court attendance and return) and on-site access
permissions.
 4. Eyes-Retina
The retina lies at the back of the eye and detects light which is transmitted as electrical impulses
to the optic nerve. The retina is fed by a network of blood vessels and it is this network that
forms the unique structure that facilitates retina recognition. The array of blood vessels is
different in each eye and no two people have the same configuration.
Use cases

 Retina recognition is not deployed widely because of the enrolment challenges and the expense
of the equipment but because of its relatively high level of accuracy it is mainly used in identity
verification applications in highly secure facilities.

 Medical applications – retinal scanning is used for medical research and diagnoses. Many serious
illnesses can be predicted and detected ranging from malaria, Lyme disease, sickle cell anemia to
heart conditions and atherosclerosis.

5. Face
Face biometrics use aspects of the facial area to verify or identify an individual. There are a wide
variety of techniques used to statistically look at facial characteristics in a way that is not
affected significantly by age, expression, lighting, or many other variables. Such techniques
might include machine learning algorithms, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), that
have been trained on huge sets of facial images. It does not directly involve measuring the
distance between features. Current face algorithms describe the shape and appearance of facial
features, like eyes, nose or mouth, by applying image processing specially trained to capture
discriminative and stable data combined in a numeric representation which is known as a face
template.

The same techniques can also be used to derive information about a face’s characteristics such as
age or gender. Such uses do not need to involve the identification of an individual.

The face image can be captured by a conventional camera or smartphone camera as a portrait or
as part of a video while the subject is in motion. The images may be captured remotely and at a
distance and without the cooperation or knowledge of the data subject. The advent of advanced
algorithms, machine learning tools and processing capabilities e.g. CNN over the last decade has
greatly increased the accuracy of face recognition. However, it is very important to note that face
recognition deals with the identity of the individual while face characterisation, which uses
different algorithms, is designed to classify an individual into a category such as age, gender,
ethnic background etc. The operating context and objectives of these two applications are very
different but often confused by the media and public at large.

Use cases
 Examples of 1:1 verification applications

 Face images have been used by law enforcement to help verify the identity of criminals for more
than a hundred years. The face is routinely photographed from a number of angles when a person
is brought into custody. These custody images or ‘mugshots’ are then filed for future reference to
verify identity or as investigation aids including ‘one-to-many searches’ (see next section
below).

 Face images have also been universally adopted for border security with hundreds of millions of
e-passports having been issued globally that include facial images on secure electronic chips.
The actual photo of the face can be compared with the face of the person presenting the travel
document manually by a border official. However, this traditional process is becoming
increasingly automated with the widespread adoption of e-gates at international ports and travel
hubs. Facial recognition software is used to compare the face image stored in the passport chip
with the passenger’s face image captured by the camera mounted on the e-gate. These fully
automated biometric systems can handle and expedite large volumes of passenger traffic as well
as having higher consistent levels of face recognition accuracy than human adjudicators.

 With the explosion in the popularity of ‘selfies’, face recognition is now being expanded to
commercial and consumer payment use cases and to access devices. Software to organise PC-
based photo collections is adding to the awareness of this technology.

Examples of 1:N identification applications

 Face images obtained by police from convicted criminals are now being used to construct watch
lists for live face recognition monitoring in public spaces. These collections may be themed, for
example, persons wanted for offences, escaped prisoners etc. Face identification is also used, in a
more traditional and retrospective search context, for generating leads during the investigation of
a crime. The increasing use of facial recognition technology has created more demand for facial
image comparison practitioners as they are often required to make the final decision on the
output of a FR system.

 Similarly, passport facial images are being searched at the border to identify potential
criminals/terrorists from images sourced from law enforcement datasets. Face recognition is also
becoming more prevalent at airports in an effort to streamline and expedite passenger movement
through the check-in, security and boarding processes.

 Retail outlets are exploring the use of face images of persons who have previously used
unacceptable behaviour in their store(s) (for example, theft, verbal abuse, physical assault) to
monitor those entering the premises as a preventative measure.

6. Finger geometry
Finger geometry is a biometric process that captures features such as the shape and surface area
of each finger, its length, width, thickness and the distance between the fingers. The latest finger
geometry biometric systems operate with three dimensional imaging techniques which improve
the accuracy of data acquisition and eliminate variations caused by lighting anomalies and skin
pigmentations compared to the images previously produced by two dimensional cameras. Two or
more fingers are aligned to a pegged template so that images and multiple measurements can be
taken of key features. This process is usually supervised and requires the cooperation of the
subject.

Finger geometry is designed to work primarily in a one-to-one (1:) verification mode.

7. Fingerprint

Fingerprints are formed by the raised papillary ridges that run across the skin’s surface. Humans,
together with some other mammals, have these ridges on their fingers, thumbs, palms and the
toes and soles of the feet. The ridges have evolved to provide friction in order to aid grip and
locomotion. The flow of these ridges often forms patterns but the ridges themselves do not
always run continuously due to breaks and deviations in their structure (i.e. where the ridges end
or bifurcate – known as minutiae). The occurrence of these minutiae is random in nature and are
used as the basis for establishing identity as no two regions of skin, bearing papillary ridge
systems, have ever been found to have the same arrangement of minutiae. Consequently, the
fingerprints on each human digit are unique and can be used to identify individuals. The same is
true of palmprints but the area of ridged skin is much larger and therefore contains more detail.
Some biometric systems use palm prints or palm prints together with fingerprints to enrol
individuals.

Biometric recognition systems capture and digitise salient features from the fingerprint such as
the arrangement of minutiae and the flow and orientation of the ridges to create a biometric
template. These templates are then stored in a dataset that allows the system to select fingerprints
to perform either individual comparisons or searches through the appropriate database(s)
depending on the use case.

Fingerprints can be recorded using paper and ink but most current biometric applications use
either a scanner, where the finger is placed on or rolled across a platen, or a contactless method
that captures the required detail at a proximal distance. This method is becoming increasingly
popular because of the potential hygiene issues associated with multiple enrolments on the same
platen. However, any of these enrolment methods require cooperation from the subject and often
human supervision at the time of enrolment to assure the quality of the biometric data.

8. Hand geometry

Hand geometry biometric systems incorporate the salient features of finger geometry, but also
include the surfaces of the hand itself and its side profile. Images are taken while the hand is kept
palm down on a support plate and kept in position by the use of guide pegs. The length, width,
thickness, and surface area of the individual’s hand is measured and recorded. Multiple features
and measurements are extracted during this process. Several images of the same hand are often
taken in order to produce a single stored template that has sufficient detail for identification
 purposes. These images and the supporting data are then filed in a database and are used to
authenticate the identity of the enrollee in subsequent encounters when the subject’s hands are
imaged again and compared with the reference images to confirm or reject the identity claim.

9. Heartbeat

Individuals produce a distinctive heartbeat, regardless of their heart rate and level of exertion,
that is determined by a number of factors, for example, the shape, size and sounds of the heart,
the arrangement of the heart valves and the pressures they produce and the individual’s general
physiology and health. Only the electronic ‘signature’ of the heartbeat is transmitted and
received within the biometric system. The characteristics of the heartbeat remain constant,
throughout life, unless they are disrupted and altered by illness or a serious cardiac episode such
as a stroke or heart attack.

10. Vascular-vein

Vascular recognition is a comparatively recent biometric technology. The arrangement of veins

in fingers and hands form a unique pattern that can be used to identify an individual. This pattern
of veins is captured by shining a near-infrared (IR) light source through the finger/hand or
reflecting it off the surface of the skin and recording the image on a charged couple device
(CCD) camera. The blood in the veins and capillaries absorbs the IR light differently to the
surrounding muscle tissue and transmits a clear outline of the structures back to the camera. This
scanning process is typically fast (reportedly just seconds in some applications). The features are
extracted from the image and stored as a digital template. The process for enrolment and
verification is the same and requires the cooperation of the individual although no contact is
necessary with the IR scanner or CCD camera. Vascular biometrics are used predominantly
in one-to-one (1:1) verification applications.

11.Gait

Every human has a specific way of walking and running. Factors such as the subject’s overall
physique, stride length and width, speed of movement, the various angles formed by the joints at
the hip, knee and ankle as well as the angles of the torso, thighs and feet can be captured on
cameras for analysis. Therefore, individuals can be identified by their style of gait and this
allows both biometric one-to-one (1:1) verification and one-to-many (1:N) identification (search
capability) to be used in addition to other uses such as medical research and diagnostic testing,
sports science etc.

Use cases

 Medical – gait analysis has been used widely in the development and evaluation of orthopedic
applications and research and diagnoses into human pathological conditions such as cerebral
palsy and Parkinson’s disease. Detailed body movements are recorded using an array of markers
placed on the patient/subject that allow the resultant images to be calibrated and measured with a
 high degree of precision.

 Sports science – athletes undertake gait testing procedures that are similar to those used in
medical applications in order to measure the efficiency of their movement and address
biomechanical deficiencies.

 Gait recognition is sometimes used for security purposes such as venue access where it often
supports other forms of identity management.

 Law enforcement applications include the retrospective analysis of camera images following a
crime and, reportedly in some countries, identifying protesters at public order events.

12. Voice

A person’s voice – i.e. the way they sound when they speak – is the result of a combination of
distinctive physical attributes (such as the length of vocal cords and the shape of the throat) and
distinctive behavioural attributes (such as the accent with which a person speaks).

The human voice consists of / creates wave lengths that can be measured. The voice is collected
and analysed by software that employs artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to
produce a vast array of data derived from factors such as modulation of speech, tones, accent,
frequency etc. These elements enable the system to create a reference template of the voice
(known as a ‘voice print’ or ‘voice model) that can be used to authenticate the speaker in
subsequent transactions. Similar technology is applied to allow devices to understand, translate
and interact with a voice command/question, for example, when talking to smart speakers,
mobile devices, domestic appliances, virtual assistants.

There is a difference between speaker recognition (recognising who is speaking) in biometric

applications and speech recognition (recognising what is being said) e.g. applications such as
machine dictation, voice command systems, integrated telephony automation, etc. These two
terms are frequently confused, as is voice recognition. In simple terms voice is a synonym for
speaker and not speech.

13. Signatures

The use of handwritten signatures to authenticate paper documents has a long history but in more
recent times the application of modern electronic biometric techniques has automated the
process. This is performed in one of two ways:

Static or offline signature recognition: The graphic image of the handwritten signature (or set
of exemplar signatures) of a person is recorded as a digitalised reference template. Subsequent
signatures are submitted in the course of business (for example, cheques, contracts) and the
characteristics of the signature (shape, size, edges, curves etc.) are compared by the algorithm
with the reference signature(s).

Dynamic or online signature recognition: The physical actions involved in writing a signature
are captured, usually on a screen sensitive device like a tablet, and recorded electronically.
Consequently different characteristics are used rather than just those found in the image of the
signature. This involves a three dimensional (X, Y & Z axes) evaluation of the time taken,
rhythm and varying velocities of forming each letter and the overall signature, pen/stylus
pressure and the direction of the strokes, including free strokes, for example crossing a ‘T’ or
dotting an ‘I’.

14. Typing

The actions involved in typing on a keyboard can be used to identify the typist once a reference
session of their typing has been recorded for comparison. Individual keyboard operators can be
differentiated by characteristics such as the time taken to select, depress and release certain keys
or sequence of keys, the underlying dynamics and rhythm of the keystrokes, the dexterity of each
hand and common recurring errors.

Biometric devices

The use of a biometric devices is so pervasive in our everyday lives that even if you are unaware
of its existence, you have probably interacted with one in a variety of scenarios, such as when
you went to work and used your face to access the building gate or when you paid for something
using your fingerprints, just to name a few examples.
‍
It's becoming more and more clear that biometrics technologies and a wide variety of devices
will play a key role in keeping us safe while making our lives easier and more convenient.
A biometric device is an electronic device that uses biometric identifiers to identify and verify
individuals.

Biometrics devices have built-in biometric capturing sensors that use a variety of sensing
technologies to collect a person's unique physical or behavioral traits, such as fingerprints, facial
features, palm prints, iris scans, hand geometry, vocal patterns, human gaits, and other biometric
identifiers.
‍
Biometric devices can be found anywhere, including:
‍

 Airports
 Banks
 Government buildings
 Hospitals
 Offices
 Schools
What are the Types of Biometric Devices?
‍
Biometric devices are becoming increasingly popular for identification and authentication,
utilizing multiple methods to identify a person such as fingerprint recognition, facial detection,
palm vein scanning, iris recognition, and even voice recognition.
Types of biometric devices:

 Contact biometric devices

 Contactless biometric devices
 Hybrid or combination biometric devices

1) Contact Biometric Devices

‍
‍Contact biometric devices are a type of biometric device that requires physical contact to collect
your biometric data. This type of device is typically used to collect fingerprints or palm prints
with an electronic sensor.
‍
Contact biometric devices can be classified into three types, which are commonly found on the
market, as follows:
‍
Fingerprint scanners‍

Fingerprint scanners are the most common type of contact biometric devices. There are two
main types of fingerprint scanners.
‍
OPTICAL FINGERPRINT SCANNERS:
The first type of fingerprint scanner uses optical technology to scan images of fingerprints. It
scans your fingers with LED light to find a change in the pattern of reflected light, which triggers
an electrical signal that is then turned into digital data.
CAPACITIVE FINGERPRINT SCANNERS:
In another type of fingerprint scanner, capacitive sensors are used to measure changes in
electrical current caused by changes in how well the skin conducts electricity.
Fingerprint scanners are a type of biometric device that has been in use for quite some time. It is
an extremely useful tool for registering and verifying identity in a variety of situations, including
obtaining a national ID, registering to vote, banking, registering a SIM card, protecting cyber
security, and so on. Furthermore, the biometric system can provide security against the use of
fake or spoofed fingerprints, which is a major concern in the field of biometrics, using the
biometric liveness detection technique.
‍
Last, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some more contactless fingerprint scanners have recently
hit the market to provide a more hygienic way to authenticate identity with high quality
fingerprint images.
 Palm print scanners
Palm print scanners are a form of contact biometric device that take an image of your palm and
then use that image to verify your identification. These scanners capture an image of your palm
using a optical image sensor. It works similarly to a fingerprint scanner, except it reads your
palm instead.
Palm print scanners can identify a person by reading their unique palm vein patterns biometric
data and comparing it to a database of already-established patterns. These scanners have been
around since the early 2000s, and they are frequently utilized in locations that require a high
level of security, such as government buildings and military bases.

Hand geometry scanners

Hand geometry scanners are used to identify people by measuring the size and shape of their
hands.
‍
These devices have a plat with embedded pins (pegs) that guide the position of the human hand
to achieve the best results. After you place your hand, the charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras
capture an image of it, which is then compared to a template stored in the device's memory. If
your hand geometry biometric data matches the template, the device will unlock.
Hand geometry devices are utilized in a variety of biometric authentication systems and
applications, including but not limited to the following: identification verification, time and
attendance tracking, and physical access control.
2) Contactless Biometric Devices
‍
‍Contactless biometric devices can capture your biometric data without having to touch you.
‍
Contactless or touchless biometric devices can be divided into three types that are widely
available on the market:
‍
Facial recognition terminals
Today, facial recognition terminals may be the most widely used contactless biometric device.
Facial recognition terminals capture your face images using specialized cameras such as HDR or
IR cameras. These cameras can detect facial features such as your eyes, nose, mouth, and even
skin tone. When in use, a facial recognition terminal can instantly scan your face as you pass by
in real time. Following the acquisition of an image of your face, facial recognition software
algorithms are used to determine your identity based on the facial features that were caught on
camera and compared to a database of previously seen faces. If a match is found, your identity
can be confirmed.
‍
Some advanced facial recognition devices, like the Aratek BA8300 biometric access control
device, can also read contactless RFID cards, which adds another layer of security and makes
sure that access control is done correctly and reliably. With two-factor authentication, the RFID
access control card reader adds another level of security to make sure that only authorized
people can get into sensitive areas. This keeps your property safe from possible threats and
unwelcome visitors.
‍
During the COVID-19 period, facial recognition terminals quickly became the most common
type of security identification device used for biometric access control systems. This was
mainly due to the fact that facial recognition terminals do not require any form of physical
contact and have a wide range of capabilities. Infrared sensors and mask detection algorithms,
for example, could be seamlessly integrated into these terminals to measure your body
temperature and detect whether or not that you is wearing a mask while your face is being
scanned. It's an efficient solution of controlling building entries, as it can notify instantly if
someone has contracted an infectious disease, making public spaces safer.
Today, face recognition terminals are becoming more widespread in public places such as
airports and shopping malls to improve access control security. These secure devices enable you
to access buildings or checkpoints without doing or touching anything other than showing your
face and walking by, making life easy while also keeping you safe.
‍
Iris scanners
Iris scanners are also a common type of contactless biometric device. These devices captures
your iris of the eye with a near-infrared light camera to perform iris recognition. Your iris
contains information that is only identifiable to you, this allows iris scanners to identify you
based on the distinct pigmentation patterns (the coloration of the iris) that are present in your iris.
Iris scanners and iris recognition are useful for identifying people in a quick and accurate
manner. These biometric devices are used as a contactless solution by a variety of organizations
including law enforcement agencies, banks, hospitals, airports, government offices, border patrol
agents, and others. These devices are also have been utilized for the purpose of identification in a
variety of nations, including India, Mexico, the United States of America, and many more.
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Palm vein scanners
Palm vein scanners are a type of contactless biometric device that capture an image of the veins
in your palm by using near-infrared light to illuminate the veins in your hand (the network of
blood vessels underneath palm skin). This picture of your hand veins biometric data can be
matched to a database in order to confirm your identity within vein pattern recognition process.
Because palm vein scanners are accurate and don't require any physical contact with the user,
they have become increasingly popular in recent years. This makes it the ideal choice for use in
security applications in a wide variety of settings, particularly in places like hospitals, airports,
and office buildings that require a higher level of hygiene and safety.
Retina scanners
A retina scanner is a biometric machine that emits a beam of low-energy infrared light into your
eye to perform retinal scans while you look through the eyepiece. This makes an image of the
tiny capillaries in your retina, which are vessels of blood in the back of your eye. A biometric
map can be made from this image, which can be used to figure out who you are.
There are no retina scanners on the biometric market because this biometric technology is still
new and building them is expensive compared to other types of equipment.
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While there have been mentions and depictions of retina scanners in various media and online
sources, a closer examination reveals discrepancies in their representation. For instance, systems
like BAT and HIIDE, often cited as retina scanners, actually utilize iris scanning technology.
Similarly, devices such as the LG Iris IrisAccess® 3000, which have been mistakenly labeled as
retina scanners in some images, are in fact dedicated iris scanners. It's crucial to differentiate
between these two ocular biometrics.
As of now (2024), the retina scanning technology primarily finds its application in retinal
diagnostics, like the Eidon retinal scanner, rather than biometric authentication. This distinction
underscores the fact that genuine retina scanners for biometric purposes are yet to make a
significant presence in the market.

3) Hybrid biometric devices

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‍A hybrid biometric device, or multi-biometric device is one that captures and verifies an
individual's identity using two or more biometric modalities.
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Multi-factor handheld biometric device
Biometric handheld mobile devices, like the ones law enforcement officers use at airports or
voter registration workers use at polling places, often use hybrid biometric or multi-factor
authentication to identify and verify people. This makes the identification process more accurate
and secure. People can use these mobile biometric devices to scan fingerprints and other
biometrics to get accurate information about someone without having to take them into custody.
Multi-factor facial recognition terminals
In access control applications, for example, deploying a multifaceted facial recognition
terminal with an embedded fingerprint sensor module to perform fingerprint recognition is a
great approach to provide stronger security. It could do "1:N" identification first to identify "who
you are," then add a second factor to ask you to scan your fingerprint to perform "1:1"
authentication to answer "Are You Who You Say You Are?" This makes it more difficult for
unauthorized users to gain access to secured areas.
Fingerprint, iris, and facial recognition are the most frequent biometric modalities used in hybrid
devices. In comparison to single-modality devices, hybrid biometric devices have various
advantages:
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 First, they can provide a higher level of security because they use multi-biometric
authentication data to authenticate users; adding a second or third biometric attribute
makes it more difficult to fake than just one. Furthermore, some devices use the biometric
liveness detection technique which help to prevent biometric spoofing and add an extra
layer of security.
 Second, because each modality can provide its own unique verification template, they can
be more accurate than single-modality devices.
 Third, hybrid devices can be more durable than single-modality devices because they
can continue to work even if one of the biometric modalities fails.

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Overall, hybrid biometric devices provide several benefits over single-modality devices,
including increased security, accuracy, and robustness.

Explain the Biometric System Architecture (processes and components)

Explain Contact biometric devices

Explain Contactless biometric devices and Hybrid (combination) biometric devices

Explain the factors of authentication

Explain Biological and Behavioral types of biometrics with examples

Explain Physiological type of biometrics with examples