Homeland Security testing iris systems
15 September, 2010
category: Biometrics
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will begin testing of iris recognition systems in October as a potential option for weeding out illegal immigrants at border crossings, according to a USA Today article.
The testing is expected to help discover how viable of an option such devices would be for border patrol agents in widespread use.
The iris systems caught the interest of Homeland Security due to advances enabling for authentication from up to six feet away. The new government interest in such systems, however, has also sparked interest by the American Civil Liberties Union that worries about covert use of the cameras to track individuals without their knowledge or consent.
Despite the new trials creating worry among some groups, other government operations have used similar systems in the past such as the military utilizing iris biometrics to track suspected militants and airports using iris scans for registered traveler programs. Additionally, financial companies have expressed interest in the same technology with hopes that less obtrusive iris recognition systems could help curb fraud in the financial sector.
Read the full story here.