By Andy McCue, 8 December 2003 15:00
NEWS Iris, fingerprint and facial recognition will all be tested as part of the UK Passport Service's six-month trial of biometric technology ahead of the introduction of potentially compulsory national ID cards.
The details have emerged with the announcement that SchlumbergerSema will run the trial, which will start in January next year with 10,000 individuals carrying biometric smart cards.
SchlumbergerSema will lead a consortium of vendors, including NEC, Identix and Iridian Technologies, and will be responsible for designing, building and maintaining the pilot equipment and software. NEC will supply its Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), Identix will provide fingerprint capture and facial recognition technology and Iridian Technologies will supply iris recognition.
The pilot will test iris pattern and fingerprint biometrics enrolment and verification, as well as collection and verification of a facial recognition biometric.
NEC said that, based on its experience with the Singapore Immigration Authority, it has seen the dramatic impact that biometrics can have on improving access to public services and in tackling crime and illegal immigration.
Comments
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1. anonymous
Can you say Big Brother.
2. anonymous
Why use fingerprints when it is known that they are not infallible? There have been several legal cases where the wrong person has been accused due to incorrect indentification based on fingerprints.
3. Jim Plenty
It seems that George Orwell was right, just a few years out that's all.
4. Pete Tyndall
Critise the government, and you'll find your fingerprints all over the smoking gun you never touched.
Wouldn't happen in Britain? It already has. MI5 have framed and put more innocent people behind bars than the so-called free press will ever be permitted to make public.
The next step will be your having to volunteer DNA samples to the "government". You'll be owned lock, stock and barrel by the powers-that-be. Got a dangerous opinion? Keep it to yourself.
5. James C. Webb
Something has to be done to ensure security in these dangerous times. Stop criticising those who want to protect you and make things better in the world. Come up with your own solutions to these security issues or shut the hell up.
6. David Ellams
Mr Blunkett's identity card scheme is a violation of the rights of the individual.
Those rights are protected by the Crown under both Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights of 1689.
All those members of the cabinet who voted in favour of Mr blunkett's identity card scheme thereby presented prima facie evidence of a conspiracy to commit treason.
No government has any authority to ingnore, or to amend or to overturn Magna Carta or the Bill of Rights.
Any company that joins or assists in this conspiracy would be well advised to consider the commercial consequences of their actions.
7. padmika herath
authentication by what you have rather than what you know is a realy ,realy good for working against with hackers!
8. anonymous
The times we live in are no more dangerous than any other era, arguably less so. Our contributor from California has, sadly, and like many other people, been taken in by the propaganda from Bush and Blair. All that happened on September 11 2001 was that America (and some outside it) woke up to reality. The world did not change, only their perception was modified to come closer to reality.
Blair, Bush and others want us all to feel uncomfortable and unsafe because it enables them to pursue their own goals.
9. anonymous
Well there truly is a lot to consider when one looks at this with the mind of a politician or a criminal (not really much difference though).
For with this in place not only will it be easier to infringe on the rights of the public, but aslo if this is not done correctly the ability to steal someones identification via thier card over the internet will become increasingly easier since it is human nature to trust technology more that we trust people.
This really needs to be thought out and beyond the simple scope of how much easier it will know be to track people in these so call "dangerous times" (since times really have been dangerous sicne man was first known to exist and the first creature or man attacked someone).
Personally I feel that this is just another ploy to look insiude the day to day lives of people without thier consent, just as email is being read without the consent of the civilians.
Just my two cents.