ABSTRACT
Biometric systems can also function without active input, cooperation or even knowledge on the part of the subject. Although biometrics may seem like the stuff of the future, it’s actually the oldest form of identification. Yet the core principle remains the same: biometric recognition, even if replicated by machines, only works for people who are known to us – it can’t help identify strangers. Essential to both types of biometric systems are the capture and storage of biometric samples in some sort of ‘reference database’ and the comparison of new biometric data to make what’s called a ‘recognition decision’. Fingerprints are one of the oldest and most trusted forms of biometrics, especially for law enforcement. Yet to date no biometric system has been shown to be foolproof or known to be completely stable across all individuals and groups. In the drive to secure identity in our increasingly complex and interconnected world, biometric technologies are thriving.
