For Global ID Systems, the Tried and True
The Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks ignited interest in more precise ways to identify people, particularly in the field of biometrics, which makes use of distinctive body features. Among the biometric techniques that have been explored are scanning eyes for individualized features of the retina or iris, using cameras and computers to map the distances between parts of the face, and studying the patterns of voice or gait.
But as governments complete initial testing and begin putting into place new security systems at border crossings and at sites like airports and embassies, there is a clear winner among the competing biometric technologies: the old-fashioned fingerprint.
"They are looking for proven technology that's stable and familiar," said Dr. Joseph J. Atick, president and chief executive of Identix, a leading supplier of biometric technology. "It's not about technology. It's about lowering your deployment risk."
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