The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a new software suite called Biometric Conformance Test Software for Data Interchange Formats (BioCTS2012) for biometrics users to test biometrics apps against the NIST standard.

The software tests against the ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 standard, which provides a defined method for digitally encoding and storing biometric data. The standard enables different agencies across law enforcement, military and homeland security to be able to share data within their ID systems. The standard allows for other types of biometric data sharing for identification purposes.

NIST researchers developed this testing software because if the standards aren’t implemented correctly in software applications, they won’t work. The BioCTS checks if a record of an image has the correct data captured in the order specified by the standard. If it does, it can be sent, received and filed correctly and accurately.

NIST has also published two support publications for the software. Conformance Testing Methodology for ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011, Data Format for the Interchange of Fingerprint, Facial and Other Biometric Information Release 1.0 (Special Publication 500-295) gives computer programmers background information and methodology to develop a conformance test tool for the ANSI/NIST standard.

BioCTS 2012: Advanced Conformance Test Architectures and Test Suites for Biometric Data Interchange Formats and Biometric Information Records (NIST Interagency Report 7877) has information on the conformance test architecture and implementation details of BioCTS 2012.

The software testing suite covers most main types of biometric data including fingerprints, facial images, iris images, scars, marks and tattoos. NIST has plans to expand the testing tools to include other biometric record types and other international biometric standards.