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Human recognition using biometrics: an overview

Un panorama de l’identification biometrique des personnes

  • Multimodal Biometrics
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Abstract

Establishing identity is becoming critical in our vastly interconnected society. Questions such as “Is she really who she claims to be?”, “Is this person authorized to use this facility?”, or “Is he in the watchlist posted by the government?” are routinely being posed in a variety of scenarios ranging from issuing a drivers license to gaining entry into a country. The need for reliable user authentication techniques has increased in the wake of heightened concerns about security and rapid advancements in networking, communication, and mobility. Biometrics, described as the science of recognizing an individual based on his or her physical or behavioral traits, is beginning to gain acceptance as a legitimate method for determining an individuals identity. Biometric systems have now been deployed in various commercial, civilian, and forensic applications as a means of establishing identity. This paper presents an overview of biometrics and discusses some of the pertinent terminology necessary to understand this technology. The importance of information fusion in the context of biometrics is also highlighted. It is becoming increasingly apparent that multibiometric systems will play a significant role in dispensing the role of identity management in the 21st century.

Résumé

Contrôler l’identité devient critique dans notre société aux très larges interconnections. Des questions comme: Est-elle celle qu’elle prétend être? Est-ce que cette personne a le droit d’utiliser ce service? Ou «Est-il dans une liste à surveiller, délivrée par le gouvernement?» se posent dans une gamme de scénarios depuis la délivrance de permis de conduire jusqu’aux droits d’entrée dans un pays. Le besoin de techniques d’authentification fiables a augmenté dans la foulée des préoccupations croissantes à propos de la sécurité et des avances rapides de connections en réseaux, de communication et de mobilité. La biométrie, définie comme la science qui permet de reconnaitre un individu à partir de ses caractéristiques physiques ou comportementales commence à être reconnue comme une méthode légitime pour déterminer l’identité d’un individu. Les systèmes biométriques sont maintenant déployés dans diverses applications commerciales, civiles et policières comme moyen d’établir l’identité. Ce papier présente un panorama de la biométrie et expose la terminologie pertinente, nécessaire à la compréhension de cette technologie. L’importance de la fusion d’information dans le contexte biométrique est aussi soulignée. Cet article met aussi l’accent sur le fait que les systèmes multi-biométriques joueront un rôle significatif pour le management de l’identité au 21e siècle.

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  1. Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA

    Arun Ross

  2. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Anil K. Jain

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  1. Arun Ross
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Ross, A., Jain, A.K. Human recognition using biometrics: an overview. Ann. Telecommun. 62, 11–35 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03253248

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