Basics of Biometric access control

Biometric access control is the new buzz in the industry with security problems occupying a dominant part of the society today. As you have already guessed, biometric access control is concerned with security services. It is an emerging domain in the field of technology and is concerned with the identification of individuals through biological traits like fingerprint, iris scanning, face recognition and the like. With crime lovers incorporating latest techniques in their crime, technological advancements are being made in the field of security guarding. It is no longer possible to leave the controls of your home on a lone security guard.  On the contrary, biometric access control secures your apartment or office by judging physiological or behavioural traits.

Now we remain in the perpetual fear of being subject to attacks. The target of these crime lovers can be an institution or a bank and can be motivated either by ideological or monetary reasons. In order to put an end to these attacks, biometric access control uses a series of techniques. Let us now go through different types of biometrics:

Face recognition: This takes, an individuals’ face into account. This type of recognition is now a significant part of biometric access control. This takes into consideration, the position of nose, outline of eyes and other areas like mouth and cheekbone.

Fingerprints: Access is controlled here by taking fingerprints into account. While some uses electronic field imaging, others use optical image here. This mode involves identification through pattern matching.

Hand geometry: This measures the shape of your hand for identification. While some of the hand scanners control access by measuring only two fingers, others use the whole hand for verification.  This technique of biometric access control identifies an individual by scanning the thickness, length, bone structure, curve as well as distance between joints.

Iris scanning: Biometric access control makes use of the unique features of human iris for identifying an individual. This essentially starts with a picture. Camera with infrared imager is used here for illuminating eyes and capture high resolution images. This is then transformed into an algorithm that maps the distinct features of iris.

Retina scanning: This involves blood vessel layers at the rear part of your eyes. This method needs the user to look into the scanner and then focus on a point.

Voice authentication: This is not voice recognition. This process involves usage of software and hardware technologies for converting voice into textual data. This can be analysed through voice response system. This method involves usage of the unique features of an individual’s voice for identification.

Dynamic signature verification: This process involves identification of an individual’s signature. It judges things by taking the speed, velocity, shape and pressure involved while writing. Dynamic signature verification is different from plain signature verification. Dynamic signature verification takes into account, how a particular signature is being made whereas plain signature just judges the appearance of the actual signature.

Thus, it can be seen that biometric access control makes use of a large variety of techniques for guarding your office or apartment from unwanted people.