Usable Biometrics

The term biometrics is derived from the Greek bio (life) and metric (measure). Biometrics, as a means of identification, can be traced back to both ancient Egypt1 and China. Pioneering work on modern biometrics technologies dates back to the late 1960s, when researchers began looking at voice patterns, fingerprints, and hand geometry as a means for establishing unique individual identity. By the mid-1980s, the biometrics industry was established and the first systems went live in controlled environments. In recent years, with the heightened security concerns gripping much of the world and the rising amount of fraud in the commercial sector, biometrics technologies have received a great deal of attention. However, the application of biometrics spans all industries.