A new European Biometrics Centre of Excellence (CoE) was created in the heart of the Europe Union, in Brussels, Belgium. The new centre is an interactive facility, designed to showcase advanced identity management solutions to customers and illustrate potential real-life examples of biometrics technology. These range from cutting edge e-ID card and passport technology to the very advanced biometric identification techniques including 3D facial, electronic iris and finger print recognition.
With security and identity management high on the agenda of European businesses and governments looking to reduce risk and protect themselves against fraud, the new centre will offer executives the opportunity to see first hand the benefits of biometrics technology. For example, the centre will showcase such applications as fingerprint identification tools that could be used to limit access to buildings and areas within an office or a combination of technologies such as voice and iris recognition to control access to data storage facilities.
More than just a demo centre, the Biometrics CoE presents opportunities to test the latest biometrics solutions, to assess responses to specific needs and to discuss and debate issues with leading experts who will offer guidance and potential solutions.
The CoE illustrates this debates with an open list of technologies and products. One of the presented solutions is the eJustice bi-modal biometric smart card, resulting from a FP6 European research project, with the aim to secure justice information exchanges between judges and prosecutors across Europe (the European Arrest Warrant , judicial assistance). Other scenarios concern eBorder checks, Visas, electronic ID cards, multi-purpose smart cards etc.
The Centre was created at the initiative of Unisys, which is partner in several FP6 European research projects. Recent study confirmed widespread European public acceptance of biometrics as an identification and verification tool, revealing that 69% of the European general public now accept the use of the relatively new and unknown technology of biometrics, making it a feasible investment option for businesses looking to address risk associated with false identification. The prime benefits of biometrics identified by the European public include a speedier verification process (85%) and increased convenience (68%).
Technology showcased at the European Centre of Excellence
- Registration and Positive Identification Solutions (RAPIDS), Enrollment and issuance of biometric ID-cards – This function demonstrates capturing of both biographic and biometric data and allows production of e-ID cards and e-Passports. Biometric enrolment includes fingerprint, face recognition, iris-scan and signature, and incorporates a background check against blacklist data
- RAPIDS, Verification of biometric features – Allows checking a person’s identity against sample e-ID cards or e-Passports using facial, fingerprint and iris recognition
- SafePass Kiosk – Allows to experience a possible customs system, with biometric data on a 2D barcode document and verification using a mobile reading device. Customs information is processed in the background, streamlining customs procedures
- 3D facial recognition – Technologically advanced design from A4Vision is expected to offer major market potential both in the public and financial sectors
- Match-on-Card – Precise Biometrics’ technology allow fingerprint data to be stored and verified on a smart card or USB "dongle".
- eJustice Bi-modal Biometrics – All in one smart card integrating facial recognition and fingerprint for match-on card authentication. With this system, matching is done without extracting biometrics from the card and therefore without transmitting biometrics on networks (no central database matching).
- Motion detection and recognition – NEC solution to detect specific abnormal or aberrant behaviour that is of interest in a specific situation - such as potential theft, tailgating, loitering, running
- Face capture and recognition – The face capture and recognition solution simultaneously detects, captures and compares people's faces passing a camera. The recorded face images can be stored or compared to an existing database of images
