BIOMETRICS

Biometrics is the measurement of physiological characteristics like - but not limited to - fingerprints, iris patterns, or facial features that can be used to identify an individual. NIST has been conducting research in the area of biometrics for over 60 years, with work on fingerprint technologies for the FBI to support law enforcement and forensics dating back to the 1960s... At the Department of Homeland Security, biometrics are used for detecting and preventing illegal entry into the U.S., granting and administering proper immigration benefits, vetting and credentialing, facilitating legitimate travel and trade, enforcing federal laws, and enabling verification for visa applications to the U.S... Although automated biometric systems have only existed for a few decades, they are based on ideas that are hundreds and thousands of years old. In the mid-1800s, the rapid urbanization of the industrial revolution increased the need for formal methods of identifying people, creating a..

Also known as: Biometrics Agency

Primary location: Washington