Iris recognition systems
Iris recognition systems are advanced biometric technologies that identify individuals by analyzing the unique patterns in their irises, the colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil. This method is particularly significant because no two irises are alike, even among identical twins, making it a reliable form of authentication for security purposes, such as counterterrorism. Unlike traditional identification methods like passports or identity cards, which can be forged, iris recognition provides a high level of security by creating a digitized reference file known as an IrisCode for each individual.
The process involves taking a digital photograph of an individual's eye and employing complex algorithms to generate a reference file. When verification is needed, the system captures a new image and compares it to the stored IrisCode. This technology offers several advantages, including the ability to scan an iris from a distance and functionality even when individuals are wearing glasses or contact lenses.
However, iris recognition systems are not without limitations; they can be deceived by photographs of eyes and require significant investment for the necessary equipment. Despite these challenges, the application of iris recognition is expanding, finding uses in areas such as airport security and ATM access, while also raising privacy concerns among civil rights advocates. Recent advancements have integrated iris recognition into biometric passports, enhancing identification processes by storing multiple biometric data points for secure travel.
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Subject Terms
Iris recognition systems
DEFINITION: Computer-assisted systems that identify individuals based on comparisons of patterns in the irises of the eyes.
SIGNIFICANCE: Because no two people—even identical twins—have identical iris patterns, iris recognition systems are especially useful in counterterrorism security. In contrast to passports and identity cards, which can be forged or stolen, these systems allow absolute authentication of individuals wishing to enter a country or high-security area.
Biometrics is the science of measuring physical characteristics and using them for identification. Fingerprinting is a form of biometrics, and iris identification is based on the same concept as fingerprinting. The iris is the colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil. No two irises are the same; even the right and left eyes of the same individual are different. Barring injury to the eye, the iris pattern remains stable for years.
For each person who will need to be recognized by an iris identification system, a digitized picture is taken of one eye, and a complex algorithm processes the information in the picture. The result is a very small computer reference file known as an IrisCode. When authentication of an individual’s identity is needed, that person’s eye is photographed and the result is rapidly processed and compared with the full IrisCode reference file.
In addition to being highly accurate, iris recognition systems have several positive features. For example, an iris scan can be performed at a distance of anywhere from about 4 inches (10 centimeters) to several yards (meters); the equipment does not need to touch the person being photographed. In addition, such systems will work even if those scanned are wearing clear glasses or contact lenses. In all but the most extreme lighting conditions, iris recognition systems can also compensate for changes in pupil size caused by changes in the intensity of illumination.
Such systems also have some disadvantages, however. Although they are not fooled by contact lenses, they can be fooled by photographs—that is, someone could trick a system by having it scan a photograph of the eye of a person whose IrisCode is stored in the system’s database. This makes such systems much less useful for controlling access to limited-access areas that are not also monitored by human guards. It is theoretically possible to build into an eye recognition system a sensor that detects movement of the natural eye and will reject a static photograph, but such systems are not yet available. The other great drawback to this technology is the cost of the equipment needed to implement it.
Iris recognition systems have had trials at airports in Europe, Canada, and the United States. They are likely to find increasing uses, not only in border control but also in commercial settings, such as for access to automated teller machines (ATMs). Their use in the United States, however, has raised questions and some objections among civil rights and privacy advocates.
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, iris recognition was first used as part of e-passport technology, also known as biometric passports. These forms of identification included a computer chip that contained biometric data, such as fingerprints, facial recognition information, iris scans, and a digital photograph of the passport holder.
Bibliography
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