Archive for August, 2010

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E-Visa combines the synergies of biometric technology and radio frequency identification system to make travelling easier

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

E-Visa is a paperless system that incorporates state of the art Biometric technology and Radio Frequency Identification system to smooth immigration procedures and at the same time implement a foolproof security system that prevents fraudulent usage of travel documents to gain unlawful entry. The system uses a fingerprint reader to authenticate whether a person is who they claim to be by verifying their biometric details.

The United States government concerned with rising instances of cross border terrorism decided to set up an expert body to study ways and means to ramp up their archaic visa documentation procedures. The expert body found the then existing rules and procedures outdated and woefully inadequate to handle the requirements of the new milieu and suggested a revamping of the system. New rules and regulations were set up including the passing of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, which recommended the use of biometric based smart cards in the place of paper visas.

According to the law, those visiting the United States under the Visa Waiver Program will have to bear machine readable passports on their person at immigration. The e-Visa would contain a photograph of the bearer, personal information and selected biometric information in a 64 Kilo Byte chip embedded in the identity card. The identity card will be contained in a jacket specially designed to shield the information from unwarranted access. The e-Visa when brought in proximity to a scanner transmits the data to a central database. This information will then be authenticated at the entry point with the help of biometric fingerprint reader.

The Visa Waiver program is a special program of the United States Government that allows citizens of certain specified countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes without having to fulfill normal visa requirements. The program is valid for all the 50 states of the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island. Only citizens of developed countries with high income and featuring high on the human development index can qualify for this program.

The Visa Waiver Program was introduced in 1986 and was modeled on Australia’s Electronic Travel Authority scheme. The scheme gave a boost to tourism in the United States and facilitated better utilization of consular resources to more pressing issues of the day. According to the program, the visitors would have to provide advance information of their visit to the authorities in the United States. The permission to visit will given electronically; however admittance will be reserved by the American Government and can be revoked if the situation so warrants.

Biometric technology like iris scanners, USB fingerprint readers, and facial scanners have helped governments curb the menace of terrorism and at the same time made travelling easier and more comfortable.

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E-Visa uses iris recognition systems to improve security at airports

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Rising security concerns has led to radical changes in airport security systems all across the world leading to a growing interest in state of the art biometric and radio frequency identification technology (RFID).

The United States is one of the busiest travel destinations in the world with more than 500 million presenting themselves at the United States 422 ports of entry. Every year thousands of illegal migrants enter its borders by successfully forging travel documents.

The United States Government conducted studies and surveys which highlighted the loopholes in the existing system. The government decided to act on this anomaly and ushered in an era that proposed to use Machine Readable Travelling documents to address these security concerns and also make travelling much easier. The new biometric aided airport security system received a further boost in 2004 when the Intelligence reform law was passed in 2004 which recommended iris recognition, fingerprint recognition, facial recognition and hand geometry recognition for passenger identification.

Major Canadian Airports have been using Iris recognition systems to expedite passengers through customs. This facility uses an iris scanning device to record data and later on this data is validated with data stored in database taken at the time of enrolment. If there is match the traveler is allowed to enter the country’s border; however, if there is no match the traveler has the option to try the identification process again, failing which, he can present his documents at immigration for manual identification. The new system was tried out at Vancouver, Halifax, Toronto and Montreal and later on the system was implemented in Calgary, Winnipeg and Edmonton in 2005.

The Canada-US Fast Track Nexus program was perfect for frequent travelers between the United States and Canada who wanted quicker processing without having to get their documents manually processed every time. In order to expedite the process iris scanning devices were installed at checkpoints near the border and in airport lounges. Elsewhere in Europe, the Netherlands opted for an iris recognition system that allowed passengers enrolled into the system to get fast tracked through immigrations without having to wait in queues. The authorities installed iris scanners at several vantage points allowing the traveler to validate live iris data with the data contained in the e-Visa.

Biometric security devices have become the norm in airports all over the world because it provides matchless security and eases identification procedures without compromising on security.

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E-Visa to make travelling easier and safer

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

With the threat of terrorist attacks omnipresent and the congestion at the airports increasing day by day authorities the world over, are increasingly turning to e-Visa’s to prevent fraudulent use of fake travel documents and at the same time making their borders safe. Experts have also given a green signal to the new system that will use Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTD’s) to usher in an era of speedier passenger clearance with enhanced security. The new system will have a fingerprint identification system at its core and will use contactless card technology to transmit data.

According to experts, the market for e-Visa is expected to grow to $2.7 billion in revenue by 2014 and most of the growth is expected to come from China, Australia, U.S, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Russia, Italy and Finland. Together these 10 countries are expected to account for 93% of the market, with further growth coming from developing countries like India, Mexico and so on.

This new system dispenses with the need of cumbersome travel documents while travelling as all the relevant details, including photograph, passport details, biometric data would be contained in a 64 Kilo Byte Radio-Frequency Identification chip embedded in the state of the art e-Visa that leverages the superior functionality of an automated fingerprint based identification system. The e-Visa comes in a jacket that provides a radio –frequency shield and the traveler has to take the e-Visa out of the jacket before it can be read by fingerprint scanners. This functionality is very useful for travelers as they do not have to stand in queue to process their documents at immigration.

The e-Visa meets the guidelines framed by International Civil Aviation Organization to make travelling safer. The guidelines were set as part of an initiative by the United States Government to deal with the threats posed by terrorists. Post September 11 a study group was set up to study methods of increasing the security at airports without inconveniencing the travelers. Accordingly, the ICAO was entrusted the job of studying the then existing airport security protocols and suggest ways and means to make it better. The guidelines suggested by ICAO were seconded by the United States Government and later on adopted by other sovereign states.

According to the new guidelines, the new system would leverage the durability and efficiency of biometric systems to make identification easier and smoother. Biometric applications like automated fingerprint identifier, fingerprint scanners are expected to become the norm in airports all over the world as governments grapple with escalating security issues.

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The UIDAI Project-heralding a new dawn in India

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Biometric technology is in the forefront of government and private initiatives to make the business environment safer and more productive with the help of biometric access control, biometric attendance and so on. One such initiative has been taken by the Indian government to facilitate governance by setting up a centralized database of biometric information.

The UIDAI Project

Accordingly, The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was entrusted with the task of assigning Unique ID to every person residing in India. Once completed, the project will enroll 1.20 billion Indians to central data base located at the Central ID Data Repository. In order to make the system foolproof, Biometric identification systems and checks will be installed to ensure that that every individual is assigned only one identification, without any instances of duplication. Once this is done, biometric fingerprint readers can be used authenticate the beneficiaries of government aided programs, ensuring that the benefits reaches those intended. Also, Finger print readers installed at strategic points will give a boost to the present security apparatus by identifying and profiling the undesirable elements in the society.

In order to make the project a grand success, the UIDAI has roped in Accenture to implement the core biometric identification system in support of the Aadhaar program. The IT Company will assist UIDAI in benchmarking performance, maintaining quality of data, and devising ways and means to make the system more efficient. The project will run for two years or until 200 million enrollments, whichever is earlier.

Krishna Giri, Managing Director of Accenture’s Management Consulting practice, said that the Aadhaar program will help in the implementation of welfare programs like Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) in rural India, as wells as providing easier access to health, education, and welfare programs.

MNREGA program to receive a boost after the implementation of the UIDAI project

The beneficiaries of the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee program will benefit from this program as it will do away with lengthy documentation and the role of the middlemen. The beneficiaries of this program will get their wages at their doorsteps after clearing a verification process using a fingerprint reader.

Biometric devices like the ubiquitous USB Fingerprint reader have become necessary in private and governmental organizations alike because of their ease of use and functionality.

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Life Insurance Corporation of India becomes partner in the UID Project

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

The life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the largest life insurer in India, will become the first institutional partner in the UID Project. The Corporation has a huge database of 21 unique customers, holding 27 Crore policies, making it the biggest insurance company in the world.

The two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which the LIC has agreed to act as a registrar for the delivery of 12 digit Unique Identification numbers to the people of India. The LIC is the first institution that has agreed to partner UID’s gargantuan project that will bring all Indians under a single umbrella, facilitating smoother interaction between various private and public sector organizations across the country.

UID to use Iris recognition technology

The UID project will be based on demographic data, and biometric data based on fingerprints, photographs and an iris scan.

Iris recognition system is considered to be reliable and very robust. Iris scanning devices uses an infrared device to scan the iris, recording its patterns for later use. This process of recording the data is known as enrolment. Iris recognition has an advantage over other biometric systems because the iris retains its distinctive nature years down the line, giving a substantial saving in cost.

The UID project will use an iris scanner to record data, which later be incorporated in the database. The 12 digit number will be a repository of biometric and demographic information, helping governments and organizations to get information about an individual.

Nandan NIlekani, Chairman, UIDAI, and Mr. T.S Vijayan, Chairman, LIC jointly signed the memorandum, which is expected to help LIC deliver on its Social Security Schemes and at the same time streamline administration and premium collection procedures.

According to experts, the scheme will bring forth financial inclusion as more than 4 Crore policyholders under the Jana Shree Yojana (JSBY), Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, and Micro Insurance scheme are expected to benefit. The project intends to bring about better financial inclusion by filtering the benefits of the booming economy to the marginalized by paving the way for greater financial inclusion.

LIC has a database, consisting of information about its customers which it hopes to use in the issuance of UID Numbers to its customers. A company spokesperson said that the UID Number would help the company to provide the best-in-class service and fulfilling its objective to provide coverage to each and every citizen of the country.

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Biometric Security-Heralding a new dawn for the Hoteliering Industry

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Post 9/11 hotel industries across the world are looking to newer technologies like Biometric access control systems to make their premises safer for their guest and to prevent its misuse by criminal elements. Once this system is implemented the hotel industry will be able to fulfill government guidelines that call for stricter identification procedures while checking in.

Booking a room used to be a simple procedure requiring little documents; the receptionist would match the guest’s name with that on the register and hand over the keys to the room. But, in the current scenario, characterized by identity and credit card frauds it is no longer safe to rely on such procedures. What is required is a dynamic and robust system that would weed out the criminal elements, making the hotel environment safe for the guests.

The Dilemma

Even though the hotel industry understands the lacunae in the archaic check in system currently in place, it faces a twin dilemma: How to improve security without offending the guests. Biometric security based on its low invasiveness offers a perfect solution to the hoteliering industry, improving security protocols without in any way offending the guests.

Joe Mortimer, an expert on hotel security, does not see any let up in the security breaches that continue to plague the hotel industry, requiring a significant ramp- up of security protocols with a focus on biometric based identification technology.

Joe Mortimer was referring to recent events in Dubai where a hotel served as a hub of a terrorist attack mounted on Palestinian leaders. According to unsubstantiated reports, terrorist had checked into the hotel using fake credentials and documents. The hotel manager said that had followed the standard protocol; taking a copy of their passport and a credit card swipe, before handing them the keys and wishing them a pleasant stay. The manager said that security clearance procedures followed by the hotel were at par, if not better, than those followed at international hotels.

However, the aftermath of the incident begets the question; whether visual identification is sufficient proof against cases of forgery, or, is there a case for implementing newer technology. According to experts, it’s high time the hotel industry upgrades its security systems in order to prevent misuse of its premises. The biometric technology will help hotels provide better security for its guests, improve productivity by making biometric attendance mandatory, and offer better customer experience to its guest by providing accessibility at the touch of a fingertip, utilizing fingerprint access control systems.

Nine Zero Hotel in Boston goes the Biometric way

The Nine Zero Hotel in Boston had implemented a state of the art biometric access control system in its Cloud Nine penthouse suite, making it one of the most secure rooms in the city. The penthouse suite is a popular choice for many celebrities like Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock, who have stayed at the hotel’s uber-cool penthouse suite.

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Signature Verification Systems-Helping businesses become smarter

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Signature verification systems are being used by government and private organizations to reduce dependency on paper, make transactions faster and more reliable. This new way of doing business has already been ratified by parliamentary bodies in the USA, India and the European Union.

Signature verifications systems may be key based or biometric based. In key based technology the signature is associated with a key which is kept at the sender’s computer. However, the security of such systems is dependent on the integrity of the sender’s computer. If the computer is hacked there is a risk that the key may be misused. Smart cards carry no such risk, and its portability makes it very useful for professionals on the go. Biometric signature verification systems use an electronic signature pad to record biometric traits like style of writing, pressure and keystroke. This data is analyzed with the help of electronic signature software and a template created. This template is later used to validate the signature.

This system is foolproof because no two signatures are alike, and it is almost impossible to copy another’s signature with any conviction. Recognizing this trait, the Indian government passed the Information Technology Act 2000 which addressed the following issues-

  • Legal Recognition of Electronic documents
  • Legal Recognition of Digital Signatures
  • Offenses and contraventions
  • Justice dispensation system for cybercrimes

This act caused a paradigm shift in how business was done in BFSI, health, real estate sectors; making transactions quicker and removing the influence of middlemen.

Some Case Studies

Indian Patent Office

The Indian patent office processes patents, trademarks and copyright applications on a daily basis, receiving thousands applications daily. The manual system that existed before was extremely tedious and unmanageable. Since the system was secretive it was open to manipulation and conjecture. The government recognizing the loopholes that existed in the system implemented an online system of submission, where each application was to be authenticated by a system of digital signature verification system. This made the process more streamlined and removed human intervention.

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)

The DGFT processes requests and issues import and export licenses, receiving thousands of applications every day. The manual system that existed before was prone to corruption, causing losses to the economy. The system was revamped, enabling users to file application online, without having to seek recourse to any middlemen. Each application was authenticated with the help of an electronic signature pad that records an individual’s unique biometric traits like style of writing, pressure exerted at the time of writing etc. The new online system helped in removing the irregularities from the pre-existing system and helped smooth submission of applications.

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Voice Authentication System-A boon for Industry and Commerce

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Voice Authentication systems is one of the least invasive methods of controlling access, using the distinctive behavioral and the physiological components of a speech to secure locations and data against unwanted breach. This very distinctiveness has made it attractive for voice based biometric applications worldwide.

The system uses audio capture devices to record voice data at the time of enrolment and then extracts unique features from this voice data to create a template. This template is used at the time of identification or verification when an utterance is compared against the recorded template to deny or provide access to location or data.

Biometric systems such as these have found favor with the modern industry because of their ease of use and practicality. Some of the industries where this technology has been used to good effect are aviation, BFSI, Health Management Industry, betting industry and so on. The voice recognition system can be used productively in the following cases

  • Playing back information
  • Handling spike in call volumes
  • Routing calls
  • Automated identification

Playing back information

The Voice based biometric system can be used to make the dissemination of information faster by doing away with the services of a live operator. This type of service can be used to get quick information about flight departures and arrivals in the aviation industry. This type of technology can be used to cut waiting times between calls leading to better customer service. Dublin Airport was able to service 30 percent more customers with the use of this technology without any corresponding increase in staff. Dublin airport used this technology to route calls seeking information about departures and arrivals to an automated system.

Handling Spike in Call Volumes

The voice recognition software can be used to handle unusual spike in call volumes. For example the call volume in the betting industry is characterized by spikes and troughs. The period before the race start is characterized by unusual call volume activity. The system can be configured in manner that calls related to placing a bet can be routed to an automated system and more complex calls routed to live operator.

Routing Calls

The voice based recognition system can be used to route calls to the correct department. Standard life Insurance has successfully implemented this technology to route customers to the appropriate staff. The system helped Standard Life Insurance to cut misdirected calls by 66 % and increased the call handling capacity by over 25%. The system also revealed valuable information on why the customer was calling, helping in designing smarter systems.

Automated Identification

The voice based recognition system can be implemented in the BFSI sector to provide flawless customer service. The current pin and password based security system fails to address the requirements of the modern era with its demands on security. The voice based recognition system bypasses the pin and password based security system, providing ease of access and security. Australia’s eight largest insurer ahm Health Management has successfully incorporated voice recognition biometrics to allow its customers to speak to its customer service representatives.

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UID Project expected to remove the irregularities of the Rural Job Scheme

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

The Unique Identification Card Project in India, once implemented, will provide a unique number to its citizens by the year 2011. The ambitious project will be implemented by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which believes that the project will address issues, like rigged elections, loopholes in the food distribution system, plaguing the current system. The project is also expected to improve the National security by addressing the issue of illegal immigration through innovative use of biometric technology like the Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

Research has shown that only a tiny portion of the intended benefit of poverty elimination schemes like the MGNREGS actually reaches the intended beneficiary, with a major chunk of the benefits vanishing into the pockets of the middlemen. The UIDAI hopes to plug this gap in the system by streamlining the distribution system so that the benefits reach the rural poor. The new system will use an automated fingerprint identifier to weed out ghost workers and those misusing the scheme.

Biometric ID’s to plug leakages in the Rural Job Scheme

The government of India plans to use a Fingerprint Identification system to streamline the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. This comes after a research report revealed that the MGNREGS scheme was plagued by systematic leakages that reduced the efficiency of the system. The proposal seeks to roll out a GPS enabled biometric attendance system for the job guarantee workers, which will help to remove the irregularities of the current system. A panel comprising of technocrats from the ministry of rural development, department of financial services and the Unique Identification Authority of India has prepared a proposal that aims to address the problems of ghost workers and misappropriation of job cards.

Loopholes in the MGNREGS system

Earlier the government had received reports that there was rampant dishonesty in the implementation of the MGNREGS scheme, which is considered to be the flagship rural poverty elimination scheme in the country, with more than Rs 40,000 Crores allocated. The government conceded this fact on the floor of the parliament, saying that it had knowledge of 27 complaints relating to the diversion and leakage of funds under the job scheme. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report said that the rural employment data given by the ministry of Rural Development was not reliable because of the poor maintenance of records.

The Solution

The proposal seeks to enroll all the beneficiaries to a biometric attendance system that would use a Fingerprint scanner to check whether the person- who has showed up for work – is entitled under the scheme. The data collected this way would be transmitted through a GPS enabled cellphone for authentication. This is expected to reduce the instances of ghost workers and misappropriation of cards that is characteristic of the present system.

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New RBI guideline to drive penetration of banking services in the rural areas

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

A recent research report has revealed that the remote rural areas of the country are underrepresented by public sector and private sector banks. The Reserve Bank of India taking cognizance of this anomaly has decided to set new guidelines that would drive penetration of the banking sector in the marginalized rural areas of the country. According to the new model the RBI would be using the business correspondent model to facilitate the spread of banking in the underrepresented areas.

Biometric Access controls incorporate logical access control and physical access control, helping governments and organizations secure data and location against unwarranted access. With each day newer applications of biometric technology are being found, helping make environments safer, productive and efficient.

Biometric attendance is one such application of biometric technology which has helped organizations increase productivity. The simplest application of the technology requires the employee to use his iris scan to let the employer’s system know when they enter or leave the office. This data can then be used to calculate the hours put in by the employer at work. More sophisticated versions of this technology use bio-markers to record what the employee was doing at a particular point of time.

The banking domain is characterized by a dynamic work environment with employees constantly on a move, increasing the vulnerability of data. Biometric security devices can be used to safeguard data and location in such circumstances.

Reserve Bank of India’s new guidelines

HR Khan, executive director RBI, said that they were thinking of implementing a new set of guidelines based on the Business Correspondent model. He also said that the current initiative was required as the older initiative had failed to make a difference in the rural sector. HR Khan was speaking at a function in Ranikhera village, a rural area near New Delhi, organized to commence banking activities in such underrepresented areas.

The new initiative, involving Punjab National Bank and RBI, will provide banking facilities to the poor and the marginalized with the help of biometric ATM’s. The biometric ATM’s running on fingerprint access control, will service four villages and 300,000 villagers.

Nagdesh Pydah, executive director, Punjab National Bank, said that the rural sector had tremendous potential as almost 64 percent of those living in villages did not have any banking account.

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