The BEAT (Biometrics Evaluation and Testing ) project, a European Commission-backed biometric project has announced its plans on what it will try to accomplish in the next few months and years.

As reported on PlanetBiometrics.com, this project is an element of the EC’s Seventh Framework Programme. Its goal is to set standards for biometric systems by optimizing performance of the underlying system, increasing their protection and security, and improving privacy measures. This will help end-users compare biometric systems that are on the market.

Although some initiatives do exist in Europe, the U.S. and Asia, the BEAT project believes those are too focused on specific modalities and efforts are not coordinated to create a continual evaluation process.

BEAT intends to develop an online evaluation platform that will allow for open, independent evaluation of biometric systems against industry-accepted benchmarks. Then it will design elements to test systems for vulnerability. The project team will also create standardized evaluation documents and examine legal aspects of privacy issues.

First on BEAT’s docket is a design phase to create terminology and functional specifications. Read more here.