Iris Recognition

T.SUDHEER
II/IV B.Tech., (ECE) 8977716462
tsudheerece@gmail.com

U.SUMANTH
II/IV B.Tech., (ECE) 9959476586
sumathincredible@gmail.com

KAKINADA INSTITUTE OF ENGG. & TECH.

(KIET)
INTRODUCTION

The attacks of September 11th, 2001 demonstrated the immediate need for improved security in our society. People around the world realized that what they thought was safe and secure was in fact vulnerable and in danger. At no other time in history has there been such a desperate call for security. In the scramble to implement better security came the realization of new solutions. One such solution was biometrics. Biometrics is the recognition of a person based on physiological or behavioral characteristics1. The most commonly known biometric is the fingerprint. It was perceived as a method of identification in the1800s and has since been the main biometric used in modern society. Other biometrics include voice patterns, facial recognition, and retinal and iris scanning. Of these, iris scanning, also known as iris recognition, has become accepted by many as a superior method of identification.

History One of the first applications of iris analysis was Iridology. Starting in the 1800s, Iridology was the belief that parts of the body were represented by corresponding areas in the iris. According to this belief, analysis of the color and texture of the iris could lead to diagnosis of a persons health and diseases. Iridology also implies that the iris changes over time depending on the health of a person. However, all these beliefs have been proven groundless. Multiple studies have shown that iridologists cannot accurately diagnose a persons well-being2. Nevertheless, iridologists still practice and people still consult with them about health. Alphonse Bertillon was the first to study eye color as a means of identification. Frank Burch expanded this claim at a meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 1936. He claimed that the complex patterns in the iris could be used as an optical fingerprint. This idea

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became accepted in the field but was not realized for decades until two ophthalmologists named Leonard Flom and Aran Safir patented it in 1987. They then went to John Daugman for help with the algorithm and mathematical theory necessary for automated iris recognition. In 1994 Daugman patented a method for iris reading, analysis, and comparison3. These patents are held by Iriscan Inc. which is now Iridian Technologies. Another major contributor to iris recognition is Richard Wildes. His method of iris reading, analysis and matching differ from that of Daugmans.

Why Iris Recognition? There are many different biometrics to use for identification. What makes iris recognition better than other biometrics? To begin with, the iris is an internal organ of the eye. This means that the iris is protected from the external environment because it is situated behind the cornea and aqueous humor. Although the iris is an internal organ, it is still externally visible and can be read at reasonable distances. The irises of a person are also very unique. The basic structure and color of the iris is determined genetically, but the minute details of the iris are created based on conditions in the embryo4. The chances of similar irises are 1 in 1078 5. Even identical twins have different irises because of the randomness of creation in the embryo6. In fact, the left and right irises of the same person are different. Iris patterns have also been shown to be stable for the life of an individual (the exceptions being preadolescence and advanced age). This means that only one initial enrollment reading needs to be taken. Thereafter, no more readings are necessary because of the stability of the iris. This eliminates extra time spent updating that is often required for other biometrics. The nature of the iris also helps in detecting frauds. It is impossible to surgically modify the iris without unacceptable risk to vision because it is located behind the cornea and aqueous humor. The iriss physiological response to light also prevents the use of paper imitations or even

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removed eyes7. A simple addition or reduction of light to the eye can determine if an iris is living or not. These two characteristics of the eye and iris make iris recognition very hard to falsify or change.

How Iris Recognition Works The basic procedure for iris recognition is the same for most products. The first phase is enrollment. A person is taken to a controlled and monitored environment in which their identity is manually confirmed. Once their identity is confirmed one or both of their irises are recorded, depending on the system used. During the image acquisition stage irises are recorded using black and white video cameras (they are not scanned as the common term iris scan suggests). The recorded image then goes through iris localization. In this stage a computer takes the recorded image and filters out everything but the iris. The localization process is done through complex algorithms which eliminates eyebrows, eyelashes, and the sclera (the white part of the eyes). Once the pictures are localized they are stored in a binary format. The last stage of iris recognition occurs after the enrollment process. Once a person has been enrolled they can proceed to an iris recognition unit. At the recognition unit, the iris is recorded and the two steps from enrollment are processed. An additional pattern matching step is required in the recognition phase. In the pattern matching stage the localized iris picture is compared with other irises in the database. If a match is found a desired outcome such as opening a door or granting access to a computer is achieved.

Possible Improvements Even though current methods of iris recognition technology are sufficient for todays needs, improvements to the technology could always be made. One of the first improvements would be the use of color cameras for image acquisition. The use of color would create an additional level of security. Not only would the patterns of the irises have to match (as is currently
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tested), but the color would also have to match. Color would also give an additional way to index images for better searching through databases8. With color indexing, only images that have similar coloration would be considered for comparing instead of the whole database. Another improvement would in the area of iris acquisition. Even though iris recognition technology is mostly non-invasive, it still requires a certain amount of user cooperation in order to be successful. A person has to walk up to an iris recognition unit and intentionally position themselves to be read. An improvement would be a system in which an iris recognition unit could record an image of an iris with little user input. This could be done by taking a picture from a meter or more away rather than the 15-50cm that is currently required. It would also require the camera to distinguish between the face and the rest of the body. Once recognized, the camera could zoom into the face and take a picture containing the iris. This improved acquisition would allow for much more relaxed iris recognition and could result in a more widespread application of the technology9.

Current Applications There are many current applications of iris recognition technologies. The predominate use of iris recognition technology today is at airports. The technology was first tested in July 2000 at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport in North Carolina and by EyeTicket Corporation10. Since then many more airports have tested or embraced iris recognition technology as a means of identification. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol began using the technology in conjunction with a smart card in October 200111. The United States Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge recently announced that iris recognition technology will be used at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport as result of the success in Amsterdam. The technology will be used at the JFK airport to speed up the customs process for frequent travelers12.

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Other current applications of iris recognition technology include correctional facility identification A.T.M., verification, pharmaceutical dispensing, and border control. One of the first uses of the technology was in 1996 when Lancaster County Prison in Pennsylvania used it to verify the identity of prisoners to be released. In 1998 Nationwide Building Society bank in England started using iris recognition instead of PIN numbers for their A.T.M.s13. Argus Solutions of Australia created a system which uses iris recognition to dispense drugs to verified patients14. More recently, the governments of Singapore and the United Arab Emirates have used iris scan technology for board control. The technology is used in Singapore at its border with Malaysia15. The United Arab Emirates uses it to check if a person entering the country is one of the 544,000 people that were expelled from the nation16. As iris recognition technology is applied to an increasing number of situations and as the technology gets better more people will embrace its methods.

Companies There are many companies that are involved with iris recognition technology. LG Electronics is one of the largest manufacturers of iris recognition technology with over 1000 systems in six continents17. Their system is called IrisAccess 3000 and involves three main components. Two separate iris readers are used, one for enrollment into the database and one for iris image acquisition. A control unit is used in conjunction with the acquisition unit to verify a persons identity and then perform the desired operation upon verification. LGs system provides both audio and visual cues to help a person use the system. An additional feature of their system is that the iris images are stored on the control unit and not the iris readers. Iris Guard Incorporated focuses on large scale uses of iris recognition such as border crossings, airport security, and law enforcement. Their technology, called Iris Farm Architecture (IFA), allows for the splitting of one Iris database between an unlimited number of database
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storage units. It also supports slow speed communications between databases and image acquisition units, allowing recognition to occur even when communications are slow. Not only does it allow for slow connection, but is also has become, the fastest and most scalable server architecture that exists today for large-scale IrisCode database searches18. One aspect that distinguishes IrisGuards product, the H100, from others is the variety of configurations in which it can be used. It can be placed on a tripod, attached to a swinging metallic arm, or even operated by hand, in addition to being used in the standard wall mounted position. Oki Electric Industries produces two models for iris recognition. The IRISPASS-H is a small hand-held device that is used with a personal computer to identify a user. Okis more comprehensive unit is the IRISPASS-WG. It is wall mounted and can be used in conjunction with 126 other units to maintain security at a site. The IRISPASS-WG includes a feature that automatically detects the location of the iris, meaning that users only have to stand in front of the unit to get identified and not peer into a small recognition unit19. Eye Ticket Corporation focuses on travel processing and access control using iris recognition. Its two lines of products are Eye Pass and Jet Stream. The Eye Pass line has a standard iris recognition unit called EP-1 but also has two more complex units, the EP-2 and EP3. The EP-2 provides piggyback prevention, meaning that no one else can get through the access point other than the verified scanned user. This is achieved with a two door system and a pressure sensitive floor in between. The unit identifies the user, opens the first door, and allows the user to walk into the middle chamber. This chamber then uses a pressure sensitive floor to verify that only one person has walked through. Once this condition is met, the second door is opened and the user is allowed to pass. Eye Tickets second line of products is Jet Stream. Jet stream is a system in which users can be positively identified and quickly processed for applications such as airline, hotel, rail, passport and visa20. Iridian Technologies is the leading producer of iris recognition technology. They research and develop iris recognition technology and hold U.S. and international patents on the

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fundamental concepts and technologies behind iris recognition21. Iridians technology is realized in two ways. The first is by their PrivateID software that is used in iris recognition cameras made by companies such as Oki and Panasonic. The second way that Iridians techonology is used is through their Proof Positive product certification. This certification assures that iris recognition products meet specified standards. Additional companies that deal with iris recognition technology include Panasonic, IBM, and SecuriMetrics. Panasonic has multiple iris recognition products that are used in a number of applications. IBM supplies databases and servers for iris recognition. SecuriMetrics produces Portable Iris Enrollment and Recognition (PIER) devices. These units are primarily used for military and law enforcement and have been used in Iraq and worldwide.

Conclusion The demand for security technology increases as the world becomes more dangerous. Many emerging technologies such as facial recognition and vocal patterns have tried to gain a share of the industry. However, iris recognition technology has stood at the forefront. The benefits of the technology include speed, reliability, and ease of use. Its implementation in diverse settings has proved it to be a successful method of identification. No other technology can offer the features and benefits of iris recognition. Expansion and continued development of iris recognition technologies provides a promising look at a safer and more secure future.

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