The A to Z of biometrics

Liveness testing

This is how systems try to tell the difference between a Gummi bear and your finger or between a photo and a real face.

The list from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more on each of the entries in the list.

A is for Accuracy
B is for Behavioural biometric
C is for Cash machine
D is for Database
E is for Ear
F is for Facial recognition
G is for Gummi bears
H is for Hand geometry
I is for Iris
J is for Juan Vucetich
K is for Keystroke dynamics
L is for Liveness testing
M is for Mobile phones
N is for Network security
O is for Oxford
P is for Palm
Q is for Queues
R is for Registration
S is for Signature verification
T is for Twins
U is for Universality
V is for Voice verification
W is for Walk
X is for X-ray
Y is for Young
Z is for Zurich Airport

This is especially important with remote transactions - such as making a payment over the internet with a fingerprint or iris scan.

With irises, for example, the red eye effect which often ruins family photos can be used to check whether it is a real iris that is being presented or a photo. Other options include testing for a pulse in a finger or even requiring a user to blink or smile when using a facial recognition system.