A Complete List of The Leading Types of Biometric Security Devices
With 90% of people viewing biometric access control as secure, it’s no surprise that global biometric technology spending has surpassed $16.7 billion.
Today, biometric security is catching on as a critical component across a range of areas, including user authentication and physical security access control. In terms of the latter, we have made a list below of the leading biometric security device types on the market.
A List of Biometric Devices Worth Checking Out
1. Fingerprint Recognition
Fingerprint recognition is arguably the most common type of biometric identification, especially in terms of user authentication on mobile.
Regarding physical security, fingerprint recognition systems are generally less costly to procure and easier to install. In effect, it is a good entry point for implementing biometric access control systems, especially across multiple doors.
However, fingerprint recognition devices come in various technologies, some more effective than others. For example, those using optical sensors are more prone to spoofing than capacitive and ultrasound-based sensors, but the latter set is also costlier.
2. Facial Recognition
Like fingerprint recognition, facial recognition technology is making its way to consumers (e.g., Windows Hello) as well as businesses and governments alike.
In terms of the latter, a common use-case has been to integrate facial recognition to digital video surveillance cameras and enable those cameras to spot and identify specific individuals.
A typical face recognition system works by using software and sensors to deploy 80 or so nodal points on the face. It will track and measure the person’s jawline, eye sockets, cheekbones, and other facial characteristics, and then looks into its database to see if there’s a match.
The global facial recognition market is expected to grow to $16 billion by 2030, with physical access control applications being a major driving force.
3. Iris Recognition Systems
According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), iris scanning works by “using visible or near-infrared light to take a high-contrast of a person’s iris.” These scanners illuminate the iris and identify “unique patterns” in the eye (that we can’t see with the naked eye).
Like fingerprint and facial scanning, you can find iris recognition across a range of applications, including consumer devices and physical access control systems.
One major benefit of iris scanning over other biometric recognition systems is that it reportedly has the lowest false rejection rate — i.e., 1.8%. In other words, it’s the most accurate and also among the most difficult to spoof.
4. Retina Recognition
Like iris scanning, retinal scanning focuses on the eye, but instead of taking images of the iris, retinal scanners are mapping the patterns of the person’s retina (i.e., the veins in the eye that carry blood). It works by using low-energy infrared light.
Similar to iris scanning, retinal scanning boasts low false positives and high reliability. However, retinal scanning requires the user to bring their eye very close to the scanner. So it is also a bit more cumbersome than iris scanning.
5. Voice Recognition
Voice recognition systems track and measure the user’s vocal modalities.
A universally known application of this is Amazon Alexa, which uses speech recognition to enable the user to input commands by voice. It is also catching on as a user authentication system, especially in the banking industry.
In terms of access control, voice recognition systems respond to the user’s specific vocal characteristics. Though a well-understood system, it does not see as much adoption in the market as iris scanning, facial recognition, or fingerprint scanning.
One reason for the lack of adoption could be that researchers aren’t entirely convinced yet about its ability to reject spoofing. It may also have reliability issues, especially when used in areas that have lots of noise and other interference.
Finding the Right Access Control Systems for Your Business
There are multiple biometric security options on the market, each with its own set of strengths and potential drawbacks. To select the one that aligns with your needs, you should start your procurement process by speaking to a professional security company.
Not only would doing so help you in identifying your vulnerabilities and requirements, but these companies will also install your solutions in line with industry best practices. In other words, you will not be at risk of exposure and problems down the line.
At Logixx, we’ve helped businesses for over 45 years with their access control security needs. Call us today to thwart costly internal and external threats with biometric security devices that close your security gaps.