By Andy McCue, 5 May 2004 12:55
NEWS The failure of fingerprint and iris-recognition equipment delayed the launch of the government's biometric ID card trials by three months, Home Secretary David Blunkett has admitted to MPs.
The trial, involving the registering of 10,000 volunteers to record and test biometric ID data, was originally due to launch in February but did not begin until last week and as a result the length of the project has been cut from six months to three months.
The UK Passport Service is running the project with its technology partner Atos Origin, which inherited the deal through its acquisition of SchlumbergerSema.
But at a Home Affairs select committee this week, Blunkett and the UKPS admitted that the system that Atos Origin initially delivered was hit by problems and had to be sent back to the firm after a few weeks.
Problems with the hardware, software and the capture and recognition of data have forced adjustments to the resolution and focus of the facial-recognition camera, along with modifications to the background used for iris scanning.
A spokesman for the Home Office told silicon.com that the problems have now been rectified and that the trial is running smoothly.
"We have to make sure it is correctly configured before launching it. It's essential we get the first installation right before it is rolled out across the country. We'll learn our lessons from this," he said. "There were issues of failure in the equipment but those have been rectified and the technical problems have been ironed out."
No-one at Atos Origin was available for comment and NEC, which is providing the fingerprint-recognition technology for the project, said the Home Office will not allow it to comment.
Comments
There are 15 comments. Join the discussion
1. simon dye
ID cards are just another UK tax for the failures of tony bliar and bonkers blunkett- they'll be yet another labour broken promise.
2. Harry Roberts
I support ID cards and recognise the necessity of biometrics but I am very concerned that we will be obliged to allow retina scanning. What if over time this is found to damage eyesight?
There may be all kinds of reasons why this is assumed not to be a problem in laboratory environments in ideal conditions with expert operators but does this reflect the real world?
Even assuming equipment will always be correctly configured and correctly used by motivated and well trained people, is it wise to risk the effects of repeated exposure of lasers on the eye over the long term?
Presumably once biometric confirmation of identity is established it will become the norm whenever we show ID.
3. Tom Steemson
I'm all in favour of anything that will cut down on fraud, reduce the possibility of terrorism and be a secure and reliable form of identification that will be difficult, if not impossible, to forge.
Am I in favour of ID cards and the associated database? NO! I can't type any bigger, but that's a big no. While I'm sure that, at least initially, all the data stored on these cards and back at any central databases will only be used for specific purposes, who's to say that agencies in the future will be so benign? It is the nature of databases that they grow. Not only in terms of record size, but in record type. I can almost guarantee that the same database that will have my iris pattern, DNA, fingerprints, photograph, name address and NI number on it will, at some point in the future, also become my income tax record, the key to MOT’s, road tax, car insurance, parking fines, CCJ’s, arrest records etc, etc, etc. Suddenly my entire life history is available to some minor functionary in a government department, or to my bank manager, or the guy that’s about to lend me a small some of money to buy my annual holiday or….
The argument is that the only people who have to worry will be the people who are not law abiding citizens. So who is? Before you all raise your hands, think about the last time you got a parking fine, a speeding ticket, had cash flow problems and had a direct debit bounce, wrote a cheque that you knew wouldn’t be covered, spiced up your tax return with some creative accounting, pulled a sickie at work but didn’t actually go to the doctors, etc.
A final query: Just how is having a database containing all sorts of information about me and carrying a card to prove who I am going to stop me from committing a crime or, god forbid, an act of terrorism? The fundamentalists and radicals will love it. No more nameless martyrs, the names addresses and DNA patterns of the deceased will be very well documented. How that’s going to be of assistance to you or I or what sort of deterrent this is supposed to be to would be terrorists is something that I’ve not heard a good explanation for yet. Don’t be fooled by Mr Planket [sic] and his cohorts. This is nothing more then an exercise to create a massively flexible, powerful control for our society, nothing more. It’s a much worn old clich?but when government isn’t just watching you but has control of every aspect of your life we’re setting ourselves up for some serious trouble. George Orwell may have been a little optimistic with his dates, but his ideas about the controls government would put in place given the opportunity are spot-on.
4. Dom Brown
So what happens when they need to view your iris, and you have nystagmus, and thus can't keep your eyes still??
Hmmm....
5. chris edge
Hopefully in the longer term these cards will not only help with security accross borders, but provide betetr protection again credit card and other fraud. If we agree this then someone has to pay, so whilst it might appear to be another tax it is a necessary one and will hopefully save us all mney in the future.
6. chris edge
Hopefully in the longer term these cards will not only help with security accross borders, but provide betetr protection again credit card and other fraud. If we agree this then someone has to pay, so whilst it might appear to be another tax it is a necessary one and will hopefully save us all mney in the future.
7. ash
tax tax and tax that is the new labour.
8. Alan Bocutt
Why has the Home Office decided to gag NEC on this perhaps because they can't spin problems with the system into good and positive news
9. David Parsons
Put it to bed it's a bad idea.
I remain unconvinced and ask how many fingers do the government require....... One,as in swivel or two as in.......
this is about eyes.... sorry
10. Steve Watkins
As I said here a couple of days ago. It will happen, it won't work, it won't be popular and it IS EVIL. Anyone who supports ID cards has the mentality of a slave.
11. anonymous
Atos, is a French company. Where is the British security policy? Why would the British Government use a French company to have access to its "Jewell in it crown" database?
Why if the trials are having problems, would they cut trials from 6 to 3 months? Surely it needs longer testing!
12. anonymous
Atos, is a French company. Where is the British security policy? Why would the British Government use a French company to have access to its "Jewell in it crown" database?
Why if the trials are having problems, would they cut trials from 6 to 3 months? Surely it needs longer testing!
13. Mark SPLINTER
They said Iraqis would welcome us with open arms and no coalition forces would be involved in torture of prisoners. They say biometric ID will combat terrorism and credit card fraud. OK Tony, whatever you say.
14. Karen Challinor
Testing has been cut from 6 to 3 months because the government want this live before they get voted out
15. Terry
This is nothing more than Big Brother continuing its control over the people. I can guarantee that we do not want these ID cards! Once implemented, Big Brother will be able to track your every move, what you buy, where you buy it, where you are, etc. If they want you, they will be with you within minutes after your next purchase! Our freedoms are vanishing before our eyes and like good little sheepal, the unknowing public will believe in Big Brother and allow it to happen. God help us...