Biometrics For Systems Builders

If you're a systems builder looking for a hot new market, it's time to get smart about the brave new world of biometrics.

Biometrics refers to the process by which a computer peripheral can identify one person from another by using a unique metric of the body. Eye retinas, irises, voice characteristics and fingerprints are among the unique body features used by biometric systems.

Now in its third generation, biometric technology has greatly matured. Reliable fingerprint-scanning devices (the focus of this article) are now available from several manufacturers. Since I had never used a biometric fingerprint scanner before, I was the perfect candidate to discover just how easy (or difficult) one is to install and use. Scanners are readily available through many manufacturers as a single add-on USB device or, if desk space is at a minimum, already embedded into keyboards and mice.

So, I put Zvetco Biometrics' offering through the paces. Besides offering a quality keyboard with a built-in fingerprint scanner, the Orlando, Fla.-based vendor offers a quality and robust biometric fingerprint scanner that comes complete as a single add-on USB device. The scanner, which features E-Field fingerprint-detection technology, is housed in aluminum and equipped with a scratch-resistant sensor. All this sturdiness, however, comes at a price; the scanner costs about $100--or nearly twice as much as others on the market.

The software included with the scanner is compatible with Windows XP and 2000. It can log you into a domain as well as a local Windows logon with a brief press of your finger.

Installation of both the hardware and software turned out to be painless and straightforward. In fact, the entire process took less than 10 minutes. As with most USB devices, the first step is to install the software before plugging the fingerprint scanner into the USB port. Once the software is installed, it immediately requests a reboot of the system. Permit it. A new icon will appear on the desktop called Verifi ID. Double click it. The next step is to plug the fingerprint scanner into an open USB port. Assuming it is detected correctly, accept the offer to utilize the log-on wizard.

Next, the software asks which finger will be used for identification. It shows a picture of two open hands, palms down. The system instructs the user to click on the finger to be scanned first. The user will be asked to lift and reinsert his/her finger six times to allow the system to get a good sampling of the fingerprint from several positions.

The process is then repeated with a different finger of choice. If, in the future, the user happens to be wearing a Band-Aid on one of the scanned fingers, he can use the other registered finger as backup to log on and get to his data.

That's it! Once I registered my own fingerprints, I went to eBay to test it out. As I was entering my name and password, the Zvetco fingerprint-scanner-software interface popped up and asked if I'd like it to remember the information. I did. Then the software asked me whether I wanted it to request a scan of my fingerprint before submitting the information automatically to the Web site for future visits. It did the same when I visited PayPal.com.

On my next visit to eBay, everything worked properly. After I clicked the account login button, the name and password dialog box appeared as usual. But this time, a new pop-up appeared almost instantly, asking me to scan one of the two fingers I had registered with the scanner. I did, and the system immediately submitted my name and password to eBay, then logged me into my account on eBay. My next visit to PayPal.com went similarly.

Carey Holzman is a freelance writer based in Glendale, Calif.