Biometrics is an automated method of recognizing or verifying a person based on a physical or behavioral characteristic. The features that are measured using biometrics include face fingerprints, palm, ear-lobe, handwriting, iris, retina, vein, and voice. Because each individual has a unique biometric print, security and verification solutions based on biometrics offer a better and more accurate means of ensuring application integrity, than passwords or access cards.

          The key parameters that help identify if a human characteristic can be used for biometrics are listed below:

Universality – the characteristic should be common to all individuals.

Uniqueness – how well the characteristic separates one individual from another

Permanence – measures how well the characteristic resists aging and other variance over time

Collectability – ease of capturing the characteristic for measurement

          Some of the biometric techniques available in the market and /or gaining increasing popularity are listed below:

Physical Biometrics:

Fingerprint – analyzing fingertip patterns

Facial Recognition – measuring facial characteristics

Hand Geometry – measuring the shape of the hand

Behavioral Biometrics Solutions:

Speaker Recognition – analyzing vocal behavior

Other Biometric Solutions:

Smart Cards – combining biometrics with identification cards

Multi-biometrics – combining multiple types of biometrics for a single solution

By matching patterns of individuals against databases of records, users are better able to protect and secure their data and resources from crime and theft; that may earlier have been possible by false identities.