Biometrics

U.K. Border Agency reinstates DNA tests, sort of
Africans who want to immigrate to the U.K. found a relatively easy way to do so: they seek political asylum, saying they come from war-ravaged countries; the U.K. Border Agency wanted to make sure, by checking their DNA, that they come from the war-ravaged countries they claim to come from; scientists criticized the scheme as “naive” and “scientifically flawed,” so the UKBA suspended it — only to reinstate it the next day, partially
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Biometric security for London 2012 Olympic Games already in place
The U.K. government’s security preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games start early: Laborers on the site of the Olympic village are subject to rigorous biometric checks; the metropolitan police hints that as we get closer to the games, local residents may be subject to similar measures
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U.K. Border Agency suspends "flawed" asylum DNA testing
The Home Office wanted to ascertain the nationality of asylum seekers by testing their DNA; scientists described the idea as “naive and scientifically flawed”; “You’d be better off looking at the color of [asylum seekers’] shoes,” one scientists says; Home Office suspends the plan
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Passport production brings L-1 $195 million
The latest in a string of biometric contracts brings the Stamford, Connecticut company $195 million deal to provide the U.S. Department of State with a high-security production system for e-passports
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Apple offers facial recognition for iPhoto
Biometric technology is used in security and e-commerce, but it can also be used to shorten searches through large digital photo banks; Apple offers facial recognition for its iPhoto
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Growth of Middle East ports means growth in demand for security
Rapid expansion of terminal capacity and new seaports to create growth opportunities in the Middle East maritime security market
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Biometric devices bring in $6.2 million for L-1
Clients keep buying L-1’s HIIDE device; company on a spree of biometric contracts
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Philadelphia schools deploy sex offender screening software
Adults wishing to enter schools in the Philadelphia area are now screened to make sure they are not sex offenders; the V-Soft solution created by Houston-based Raptor Technologies can also warn administrators or police of problem students, fired employees, and parents in custody disputes
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DHS funds development of a potable DNA-identification kit
A Virginia firm awarded DHS grant develop a briefcase-size biometrics device that can process DNA samples and determine identity or kinship with an accuracy of 99.99 percent, in under 45 minutes, and at a cost of less than $50
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Algeria delays launch of biometric passports
Trial runs of the new documents began in August 2009 in the capital city, and all citizens who hold an Algerian passport will have to switch to the biometric version by 2015
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Brown 'misled' with ID card claims
Anti-national ID groups claims U.K. prime minister Groton Brown’s claims at the Labor Party conference that “in the next Parliament there will be no compulsory ID cards for British citizens,” and that “We will reduce the information British citizens have to give for the new biometric passport to no more than that required for today’s passport,” could not be true even if taken literally
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Vermont recalls new biometric licenses
Some of Vermont’s biometric driver licenses were recalled after flaw is found
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U.K.'s ubiquitous camera network to be made smarter
U.K. researchers develop behavioral recognition software which will focus CCTVs in public places — and on public transportation — on people behaving in a suspicious or odd manner; developers say their software would have spotted a man carrying a samurai sword to a bus in Leeds — which he used to attack the bus driver
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U.K. Post Office will do biometric enrollment for foreign nationals
The U.K. Post Office has volunteered seventeen offices to collect dabs on a trial basis, with tests to start next week; so far the Identity and Passport Service has issued 90,000 cards mostly to students and people renewing marriage visas. This beats its previous target of 75,000 cards by November 2009
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Biometric surveillance checkpoint technology would notice the imperceptible
Draper Laboratory and collaborators develop technology which will home in on irregular physiological and behavioral biometrics of the individual being screened, such as heart rate, blink rate, and even fidgeting
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