A low-cost Webcam & personal computer opens doors

Face recognition is one of the most successful ways for biometric recognition. One of its advantages is the high social acceptance by users, because it does not have the criminal stigma associated to other biometric traits, such as fingerprints. In addition, the cost of a webcam can be below 20 USD, which is certainly lower than other biometric acquisition devices. For this reason, the authors have developed a low-cost door-opening system, which is installed in our university premises for lab control access.     

On the vulnerability of biometric security systems

This paper presents an overview of the weakness of biometric security systems and possible solutions to improve it. Different levels of attack are described, and the strengths and weaknesses of the main biometric system are emphasized. Solutions are provided with special emphasis on cryptography and watermarking techniques.     

Technological evaluation of two AFIS systems

This paper provides a technological evaluation of two automatic fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) used in forensic applications. Both are installed and working in Spanish police premises. The first is a Printrak AFIS 2000 system with a database of more than 450,000 fingerprints, while the second is a NEC AFIS 21 SAID NT-LEXS Release 2.4.4 with a database of more than 15 million fingerprints. Our experiments reveal that, although both systems can manage inkless fingerprints, the latest one offers better experimental results.     

State-of-the-art in speaker recognition

Recent advances in speech technologies have produced new tools that can be used to improve the performance and flexibility of speaker recognition. While there are few degrees of freedom or alternative methods when using fingerprint or iris identification techniques, speech offers much more flexibility and different levels to perform recognition: the system can force the user to speak in a particular manner, different for each attempt to enter. Also, with voice input, the system has other degrees of freedom, such as the use of knowledge/codes that only the user knows, or dialectical/semantical traits that are difficult to forge. This paper offers an overview of the state-of-the-art in speaker recognition, with special emphasis on the pros and cons, and the current research lines. The current research lines include improved classification systems, and the use of high level information by means of probabilistic grammars. In conclusion, speaker recognition is far away from being a technology where all the possibilities have already been explored.     

Signature recognition state-of-the-art

A summarization of one of the most successful behavioral biometric recognition methods: signature recognition. Probably this is one of the oldest biometric recognition methods, with high legal acceptance. Technological advances have made possible new perspectives for signature recognition, by means of capturing devices which provide more than the simple signature image: pressure, acceleration, etc., making it even more difficult to forge a signature.     

Data fusion in biometrics

Any biometric system has drawbacks and cannot warranty 100% identification rates, nor 0% false acceptance and rejection ratios. One way to overcome the limitations is through a combination of different biometric systems. In addition, a multimodal biometric recognition is more difficult to fool than a single, biometric system, because it is more unlikely to defeat two or three biometric systems than one. This paper summarizes the different data fusion levels, and how it must be performed in order to improve the results of each combined system on its own     

A door-opening system using a low-cost fingerprint scanner and a PC

Biometrics can offer improved security for access control. Several biometric devices can be adapted to our special requirements and some criterion is needed to choose the best solution for us. On the one hand, it is possible to use a standalone embedded system. On the other hand, a low-cost PC-based system can be better fitted to our special requirements, by means of special purpose software. With the actual reduction on the price of informatic components, it can be a good alternative. This describes one of these systems for door-opening with the user's fingerprint. Special emphasis is given on the design, advantages, and inconveniences with respect to embedded systems.     

Are inkless fingerprint sensors suitable for mobile use?

This paper presents an evaluation of the main differences between fingerprints obtained from a low cost inkless sensor and from the classical ink-and-roll fingerprint images used in police applications. Our experiments reveal that although the image size and quality are quite different, it is possible to introduce the inkless fingerprint into the police database and to obtain a correct identification. This shows there is room for proposing a remote fingerprint identification from a police car, using the GSM mobile telephone network.     

Testing report of a fingerprint-based door-opening system

This paper describes the operational evaluation of a door-opening system based on a low-cost inkless fingerprint sensor. This system has been developed and installed for access control to one of our laboratories. Experimental results reveal that the system is working fine and no special cleaning requirements or components replacement is needed. It can support more than 50 users, and an average of 74.5 access attempts per day in a 14-hour, 5-day-per-week working. Emphasis is also given on some important facts to be taken into consideration when comparing and evaluating different products from different vendors.     

Privacy issues on biometric systems

In the XXIst century, there is a strong interest on privacy issues. Technology permits obtaining personal information without individuals' consent, computers make it feasible to share and process this information and this can bring about damaging implications. In some sense, biometric information is personal information, so it is important to be conscious about what is true and what is false when some people claim that biometrics is an attempt to impinge upon an individual' privacy. In this paper, key points related to this matter are dealt with.