Iris recognition added to school security
South
Jersey Courier-Post | September 1 2004
When parents pick up their children from New
Egypt Elementary School in Plumsted Township, they're asked to have their
picture taken.
It's not for a school project or an ID badge. The Ocean
County school uses iris recognition, an accurate, non-invasive biometric,
as an extra security measure to confirm a parent's identity and thus, their
right to pick up a child from school.
Though the program is voluntary for parents, the district
implemented iris recognition technology developed by Moorestown-based Iridian
Technologies for its employees in 2003. Iris scanners must positively identify
all employees to gain secure access at the elementary, middle and high schools.
Iridian Technologies, perhaps best known for its role in
identifying the mysterious "Afghan Girl" who graced the cover of
National Geographic magazine in 1985, sees iris recognition as a growing security
tool for everyday people.
Traditionally, iris recognition has been associated with
border control and airport security, said Frank Fitzsimmons, Iridian's president
& CEO, but its applications are expanding.
"Iris recognition isn't just for catching bad guys.
Regular people use it everyday," Fitzsimmons said, mentioning a hospital
in Germany that uses the technology to prevent baby abductions.
Nearby, at Eagleville Hospital in Eagleville, Pa., iris
recognition technology is being leveraged to address data privacy and computer
security as a part of requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act.
Iris recognition has lauded much attention in the past years,
primarily because of the increased security concerns after the 2001 terrorist
attacks. The attacks brought a new sense of urgency, Fitzsimmons said, but,
ironically, Iridian was already working with several governments before to
then, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Canada.
"Countries had already started to use iris recognition
for border crossing particularly in airports in 2000-2001. While security
was a piece of the focus, it was also on convenience - like EZPass for people,"
he said.
Iridian's software uses algorithms originally developed
by John Daugman of Cambridge University and patented in 1994.
"We think we've established iris recognition as one
of the big three biometrics - outside of fingerprints and facial recognition,"
Fitzsimmons said.
"We have established firm traction in the markets of
border crossing and air transportation and security. Now it's a matter of
developing other markets."
Fitzsimmons believes that iris recognition has a bright
and vast future, especially as more "regular people" see and use
the technology.
Some South Jersey school district administrators who are
concerned about students' safety say iris recognition is high-quality, but
too sophisticated for their pockets.
"As far as anything planned in the budget, no we don't
have anything planned for that," said Michael Nuzzo, director of security
for Cherry Hill schools. "We would have to do some research with that
type of system."
Nuzzo stated that students are given ID cards, but those
cards are not required for access into the buildings.
"Generally there is a greeter at the door," said
Nuzzo. "If a person is not carrying a photo ID, they are sent to the
main office for a visitors card."
Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards
Association, says the idea hasn't caught on in most New Jersey school districts.
"The most common things we've found, in terms of technical
enhancements for school security, are closed-circuit TV systems to monitor
who is going in and out of a building," Belluscio said. "That was
a concern post-9/11 and post-Columbine."
Calls to some Gloucester County school officials were not
immediately returned.
Earlier this summer, the Transportation Security Administration
launched Registered Traveler, a pilot program in five airports across the
country designed to improve security and screening. United Airlines' frequent
flyers from the Los Angeles area were invited to participate in the voluntarily
program, as were Northwest customers in Minneapolis; Continental customers
frequenting George Bush Intercontinental in Houston; and, American flyers
at Boston Logan International and Ronald Reagan Washington National.
Response from customers has been overwhelming, Fitzsimmons
said, noting they hoped the programs would register 2,000 in each market not
sure what this and the next sentence means - Tom. More than 10,000 people
expressed interest even before the last pilot was launched. "It's the
first time we've seen end-user pull for biometrics in the United States,"
he said.
Outside of the airport, iris recognition is becoming more
mainstream and gaining momentum.
"Other areas we're seeing action are in network access,
particularly related to HIPAA, any idea what this stands for?and entry access,
with installations that have 20, 30, even 70 cameras in them," he said,
noting financial institutions and government installations.
Fitzsimmons believes that iris recognition will, maybe in
8 to 10 years, be a normal, everyday application.
The key to success hinges on the cameras, he says. "We
are continually expanding the camera portfolio to focus on faster, better,
smaller and less expensive."
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