What is Biometric Technology?

It is the technology that measures, analyze and record the characters unique to the individuals. The characters are physical and behavioral which either remain same or change negligibly over time. This includes the fingerprints, DNA matching, iris and retina pattern, and behavioral characters such as handwriting, voice and typing patterns.

The characteristics are recorded by either taking the complete image or by taking partial image. The fingerprint is an example of complete image approach where the complete image is recorded and is further used for verification. While in other approach, complete measurement is taken but only the uniqueness in the character is recorded.

Biometric technology thus results in the automatic recognition of the individual. It is advantageous over the traditional form of recognition used because firstly, the physical presence of the individual is required for identification.

Secondly, the process does not involve the use of PIN number or passwords. Besides this, the physical and behavioral characters are unique to the individuals. They cannot be hacked like the passwords and PIN number. This provides for safe and authentic identification of the individual.

Broadly, the biometric technology performs two important functions of authentication and verification. This process involves four steps:
Registration.
Allocation.
Verification.
Recognition.

Biometric system

Biometric system consists of a sensor, extractor, template generator, storage template and the matcher. The sensor extracts all the data. This data is then pre processed so that all the unnecessary part are removed like the noise etc. and the data is stabilized.

Form this processed data essential characters are extracted. From these features template is created. Now the template is either matched or stored. The matching process is the test while storing new data is enrollment.

To match or test, the received data is passed to the matcher for further processing. To enroll or store, the received data is passed to the storage unit where the information is simply stored for verification in future.

Application of biometric technology 
The technology finds wide application in the forensic. It is used in criminal identification. It is also being used in different organizations. Biometrics is used in government organizations as tool to fight security threats. In colleges and schools the fingerprint and palm prints are used to record the attendance of the students. It is also used in the library automation where lending of the books is on the basis of physical characteristic of the students recorded in the biometric system.