Human Recognition Systems

Iris recognition is amongst the most robust and accurate biometric technologies available in the market today with existing large scale applications supporting databases in excess of millions of people. The Iris is a protected internal organ whose random texture is stable throughout life (from the 1st year onwards) and can be used as an identity document or a password offering a very high degree of identity assurance. The randomness of Iris patterns has very high dimensionality; recognition decisions are made with very high confidence levels supporting rapid and reliable exhaustive searches through national - sized databases in both 1:1 (verification) and 1:n (identification) mode with no human intervention.

The idea of using Iris for personal identification is fairly old and was originally proposed in 1936 by ophthalmologist Frank Burch. In 1987 two ophthalmologists, Aran Safir and Leonard Flom, patented this idea, and in 1989 they asked John Daugman to create actual algorithms for iris recognition. Iris scans analyse the features in the coloured tissue surrounding the pupil which has more than 200 points that can be used for comparison, including rings, furrows and freckles. Iris technology combines computer vision, pattern recognition, statistical inference and optics

Iris Identity Solutions

HRS has a long history and association with the technology and offers various biometric and identity solutions based around Iris recognition system. Some of our solutions are helping increase security and identity assurance across both the public and private sector including aviation, defence, construction, law enforcement, healthcare, prisons etc. Major applications of this technology across the globe include: unmanned passenger travel (frequent flier programmes); aviation security, controlling access to restricted areas at airports; database access and computer login; access to physical infrastructure; "watch list" database searching at border crossings; and other Government programmes.

Iris Recognition: Driving Innovation

HRS has strategic partnership with some of the leading names in the industry and has been actively involved in development of cutting edge commercial applications across both the public and private sector. More recently HRS has been instrumental in introducing mobile Iris platform based identity solutions across the defence, aviation and energy sectors. HRS continues to explore new solutions in the domain and our team of biometric engineers are currently working on developing a range of commercially robust applications around the Iris at a distance concept - the solution will be able to capture Iris images at a distance/on the move without people having to look directly into a camera.

How does Iris Recognition work?

Iris scans analyse the features in the coloured tissue surrounding the pupil which has more than 200 points that can be used for comparison, including rings, furrows and freckles. Iris recognition technology combines computer vision, pattern recognition, statistical inference, and optics. Its purpose is real-time, high confidence recognition of a person's identity by mathematical analysis of the random patterns that are visible within the iris of an eye from some distance.

Because the iris is a protected internal organ whose random texture is stable throughout life, that one need not remember but can always present. The randomness of iris patterns has very high dimensionality; recognition decisions are made with confidence levels high enough to support rapid and reliable exhaustive searches through national-sized databases.

Current Applications of Iris Recognition

Major applications of iris recognition technology so far have been: substituting for passports (automated international border crossing); aviation security, and controlling access to restricted areas at airports; database access and computer login; access to buildings and homes; hospital settings, including mother-infant pairing in maternity wards; "watch list" database searching at border crossings; and other Government programmes.

Advantages of using Iris recognition

• Perform 1:n identification with no limitation on numbers.
• The most robust biometric technology available in the market today, never had a False Acceptance.
• Biometric templates once captured do not need to be enrolled again, iris stable through out a users