Science Friday Kids' Connection^tm -- in association with Kidsnet
The Eyes Have It! Airline Security and Biometrics (June 11, 2004, Two)

Program Summary | Guests | Related Links and Resources | For Discussion | Activities | Hear the program | About Kids Connection | SFKC Home

Program Summary

The next time you fly, you may go eye-to-eye with a new security screener – not a human, but a machine that checks identity by scanning the iris and comparing it with those stored in a central database. It’s the latest in biometrics (the automated recognition of people based on biological and behavioral traits) and is being tested as a security measure in several airports.

Iris scanning is not a new idea – you’ve seen it in many science fiction movies – but computers have made it a reality. Like fingerprints, no two irises are alike, and computers are able to map and store them the same way. Other popular biometric techniques include voice and face recognition and hand geometry (DNA identification is not considered in the same category because it isn’t fully automated). The advantage of biometrics over passport photos is that the chance of mistaken identity is so low. Someone who really wanted to slip through security could surgically alter fingerprints, face, and hand shape, but they certainly couldn’t change irises.

Some grocery stores offer automatic fingerprint i.d. systems, and customers who have enrolled in the programs are pleased about the speed with which they can get through checkout lines. Banks are interested in biometric systems as a way of cutting down on fraud. Others, however, are not as thrilled; they’re concerned that the use of biometrics could become an invasion of privacy and threaten personal freedom.

Guests

Jim Wayman, director of biometric research at San Jose State University in San Jose, California

Related Links and Resources

Biometric Consortium: Introduction to Biometrics
findBIOMETRICS.com - Biometrics Airport Applications
Biometrics Resource Center Website, NIST

For Discussion:

• What does “biometric” mean? How is it different from DNA testing?
• What traits are measured biometrically? Can you think of any other physical or behavioral characteristics that could be used for a biometric system? How could you make it work?
• What are the practical applications of biometrics? Why is a biometric system more accurate than a photo i.d. program?
• Can you think of other purposes for which a biometric system could be used?
• Could a biometric system make a mistake?
• Why do you think some people are worried that biometrics is an invasion of privacy?

Activities

I spy with my little eye. The National Center for State Courts offers a simple overview of biometrics, including an interesting history, explanations of different systems, and a comparison chart that shows their accuracy, reliability, and error rate. You’ll find a list of current and considered applications at Biometrics in Education, and photographs and diagrams of biometrics in action at Overview of Biometrics (Michigan State University Computer Science Department). Have students research biometric systems and determine which ones would work well for airport security, bank atms, and so on.

Ink-a-dink-a-doo. Another good site for studying biometrics is Putting a Finger On It - The Loops and Whorls of Biometrics, which gives the scientific and technological details with a focus on fingerprinting. On the activities page, you can link to projects about plaster casts, making and comparing fingerprints, and solving mysteries. Don’t miss the Useful Sites page.

Scan-dalous. Identification Evidence/Personal Identification by the Iris of the Eye (ForensicEvidence.com) details iris scanning and its advantage in security screening. You’ll find more interesting articles about biometrics, including ear printing, graphology, and facial recognition, at the bottom of the page.

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

Hear the Program

Listen to this program in RealAudio!

RealAudio archive courtesy of NPR Online. If nothing happens when you click the link, you may need to download a free player.