ScienceDaily: Biometric News

Facial-recognition technology proves its mettle

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

In a study that evaluated some of the latest in automatic facial recognition technology, researchers were able to quickly identify one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects from law enforcement video, an experiment that demonstrated the value of such technology.

Don't call it vaporware: Scientists use cloud of atoms as optical memory device

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:28:28 EDT

Talk about storing data in the cloud. Scientists have taken this to a whole new level by demonstrating that they can store visual images within quite an ethereal memory device -- a thin vapor of rubidium atoms. The effort may prove helpful in creating memory for quantum computers.

New MRI method fingerprints tissues and diseases: Aims for fast and affordable scans, early and quick diagnoses

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:25:25 EDT

A new method of magnetic resonance imaging could routinely spot specific cancers, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and other maladies early, when they're most treatable, researchers say. Each body tissue and disease has a unique fingerprint that can be used to quickly diagnose problems, the scientists say.

Biometrics using internal body parts: Knobbly knees in competition with fingerprints

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:53:53 EST

Forget digital fingerprints, iris recognition and voice identification, the next big thing in biometrics could be your knobbly knees. Just as a fingerprints and other body parts are unique to us as individuals and so can be used to prove who we are, so too are our kneecaps. Computer scientists have now demonstrated how a knee scan could be used to single us out.

Pocket test measures fifty things in a drop of blood

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:26:26 EST

A new device about the size of a business card could allow health care providers to test for insulin and other blood proteins, cholesterol, and even signs of viral or bacterial infection all at the same time —- with one drop of blood.

Long-wavelength laser will take better 'fingerprints' of medicines than chemical analysis, research suggests

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:12:12 EST

A laser capable of working in the terahertz range – that of long-wavelength light from the far infrared to 1 millimeter – takes a better 'fingerprint' of, say, a drug under investigation, than a traditional chemical analysis. Scientists have combined a free electron source with photonic crystals which has resulted in great flexibility within a compact laser.

Major breakthrough in high-precision indoor positioning

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:06:06 EST

Cell phones are getting ever smarter today, savvy enough to tell you where to go and what to buy in shopping centers or department stores. Although still in nascent stages, indoor positioning and navigation using mobile phones will be arriving anytime soon.

New method to directly sequence small genomes without library preparation

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:18:18 EST

For the first time, researchers sequenced DNA molecules without the need for the standard pre-sequencing workflow known as library preparation.

Termites strike gold: Ant and termite colonies unearth gold in Australia

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:50:50 EST

Ant and termite nests could lead to hidden treasure, according to researchers in Australia. Scientists have found that at a test site in the West Australian goldfields termite mounds contained high concentrations of gold. This gold indicates there is a larger deposit underneath.

Beating the dark side of quantum computing

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:56:56 EST

A future quantum computer will be able to carry out calculations billions of times faster than even today's most powerful machines by exploit the fact that the tiniest particles, molecules, atoms and subatomic particles can exist in more than one state simultaneously. Scientists and engineers are looking forward to working with such high-power machines but so too are cyber-criminals who will be able to exploit this power in cracking passwords and decrypting secret messages much faster than they can now.

Bond's new crime-fighting device launched: 'Bullet fingerprint' visualization technique

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:39:39 EST

A 'bullet fingerprint' visualization technique pioneered by a British scientist has been commercialized in the United States.

Catch and release of rare cancer cells inspired by jellyfish

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:13:13 EST

A research team has developed a novel device that may one day have broad therapeutic and diagnostic uses in the detection and capture of rare cell types, such as cancer cells, fetal cells, viruses and bacteria.

New strategy for fingerprint visualization developed

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:49:49 EST

Identifying fingerprints on paper is a commonly used method in police forensic work, but unfortunately it is not easy to make those fingerprints visible. Now, scientists have developed a new approach for making such fingerprints more readily readable.

DNA's double stranded stretch: Models simulate what happens to DNA strands when stretched to the breaking point

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:01:01 EDT

Theoretical physicists like to play with very unconventional toys. Researchers have adopted a seemingly playful approach to examining what happens to a double stranded molecule of DNA when it is stretched to the breaking point, in a new study.

Research team develops single-crystal pump for miniaturized DNA forensics

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:20:20 EDT

A research team has developed a new type of micro pump that can be used in forensic DNA profiling. The pump represents a giant leap in miniaturization.

Tying our fate to molecular markings

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:26:26 EDT

A physicist has helped discover that understanding how a chemical mark on our DNA affects gene expression could be as useful to scientists as fingerprints are to police at a crime scene. In a new study, researchers show that variable methylation is predictive of age, gender, stress, cancer and early-life socioeconomic status within a population.

Cold cases heat up through new approach to identifying remains

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:14:14 EDT

In an effort to identify the thousands of John/Jane Doe cold cases in the United States, scientists have found a multidisciplinary approach to identifying the remains of missing persons. Using "bomb pulse" radiocarbon analysis, combined with recently developed anthropological analysis and forensic DNA techniques, the researchers were able to identify the remains of a missing child 41 years after the discovery of the body.

From lectures to explosives detection: Laser pointer identifies dangerous chemicals in real-time

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:25:25 EDT

By using an ordinary green laser pointer, the kind commonly found in lecture halls, an Israeli research team has developed a new and highly portable Raman spectrometer that can detect extremely minute traces of hazardous chemicals in real time. The new sensor's compact design makes it an excellent candidate for rapid field deployment to disaster zones and areas with security concerns.

Students create low-cost biosensor to detect contaminated water in developing nations

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 09:25:25 EDT

Diarrheal disease is the second-leading cause of death in children under five years old -- killing as many as 1.5 million children worldwide every year. These startling statistics from the World Health Organization (2009) point to the reason why a group of undergraduate students is working to develop a low-cost biosensor -- a simple device that would detect contaminated drinking water.

Shifty, but secure eyes: New biometric security system

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 06:48:48 EDT

A biometric security system based on how a user moves their eyes is being developed by technologists in Finland. Researchers explain how a person's saccades, their tiny, but rapid, involuntary eye movements, can be measured using a video camera. The pattern of saccades is as unique as an iris or fingerprint scan but easier to record and so could provide an alternative secure biometric identification technology.

'DNA wires' could help physicians diagnose disease

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:37:37 EDT

Scientists have found that Mother Nature uses DNA as a wire to detect the constantly occurring genetic damage and mistakes that can result in diseases like cancer. DNA wires are potentially useful in identifying people at risk for certain diseases.

Single sign-on for Internet use had major vulnerabilites: Many now fixed

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:27:27 EDT

Online shopping, cloud computing, online CRM systems: Each day many IT systems require the user to identify himself/herself. Single Sign-On (SSO) systems were introduced to circumvent this problem, and to establish structured Identity Management (IDM) systems in industry: Here the user only has to identify once, all subsequent authentications are done automatically. However, SSO systems based on the industry standard SAML have huge vulnerabilities: Roughly 80 percent of these systems could be broken by the researchers.

Micro-copier for genome analysis

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:46:46 EDT

A new method holds promise to advance personalized medicine. Scientists can now copy 100,000 different DNA sequences simultaneously in a so called picowell array the size of a one cent coin.

'Diving board' sensors key to DNA detection

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 11:11:11 EDT

A tiny vibrating cantilever sensor could soon help doctors and field clinicians quickly detect harmful toxins, bacteria and even indicators of certain types of cancer from small samples of blood or urine. Researchers are in the process of refining a sensor technology that they developed to measure samples at the cellular level into an accurate method for quickly detecting traces of DNA in liquid samples.

Questions raised about iris recognition systems

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:19:19 EDT

Since the early days of iris recognition technologies, it has been assumed that the iris was a "stable" biometric over a person's lifetime -- "one enrollment for life." However, new research has found that iris biometric enrollment is susceptible to an aging process that causes recognition performance to degrade slowly over time.

Poker faces may distort facial features more than smiles in passport photos

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:26:26 EDT

Photographs of faces may not be adequate proof of a person's identity and this could have serious implications for the accuracy of passport photographs in determining identity. Research has shown that an image of a person may look strikingly different from one image to the next. We are told not to smile in our passport photos as a smile distorts the face; but the opposite may actually be true, and a poker face may be the one which distorts normal facial features.

Researchers advance biometric security

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:59:59 EDT

Researchers have developed a way for security systems to combine different biometric measurements -- such as eye color, face shape or fingerprints -- and create a learning system that simulates the brain in making decisions about information from different sources.

Rapid DNA sequencing may soon be routine part of each patient's medical record

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:26:26 EDT

Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. Recent advances in sequencing technology using a tiny orifice known as a nanopore are covered in a new a article.

DNA fingerprinting enters 21st century

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:34:34 EDT

Researchers have created a three-step algorithm, lobSTR, that in one day accurately and simultaneously profiles more than 100,000 short tandem repeats in one human genome sequence -- a feat that previous systems could never complete.

Biometrics: Those tell-tale signs that say who you are

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:47:47 EDT

Forget about fingerprints or iris recognition; the way you walk or move your hands, even your pulse, can be analyzed for unique characteristics. Researchers are now looking at ways this new technology could protect your security and make identity checking less obtrusive and more accurate.

Cognitive biometrics: A very personal login

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:35:35 EDT

Retina and iris scans, fingerprint and palm logins rely on possession of unique anatomical characteristics that you cannot forget as you might a password. A new review examines alternative approaches to user authentication.

Molecular Braille created to identify DNA molecules

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:55:55 EDT

Researchers have developed a method to detect sequence differences in individual DNA molecules by taking nanoscopic pictures of the molecules themselves.

Microfluidic chip developed to stem flu outbreaks

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:48:48 EDT

Researchers have developed a rapid, low-cost, accurate, point-of-care device that matches the accuracy of expensive and time-consuming lab-based tests to diagnose influenza.

Who goes there? Verifying identity online

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:57:57 EST

We are all used to logging into networks where we have a unique identity, verified by the network server and associated with our account for other members of the network to see. Such an identity-based network system is useful because it is relatively simple. However, there are three major drawbacks including loss of anonymity of communicating users, misplaced trust and identity theft.

Potential for incorrect relationship identification in new forensic familial searching techniques

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST

New research suggests that unrelated individuals may be mistakenly identified as genetic family members due to inaccurate genetic assumptions. This is particularly relevant when considering familial searching: a new technique which extends forensic identification to family members of individuals with profiles in offender/arrestee DNA databases. In a new study, researchers show that false familial identification may be more likely for individuals with particular genetic backgrounds; for example, in the USA, those of Asian or Native American descent.

Barriers to the use of fingerprint evidence in court is unlocked by statistical model

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:20 EST

Fingerprints that are potential key pieces of evidence in court currently are not being considered due to shortcomings in the way this evidence is reported. Now, a statistical model has been developed that enables the weight of fingerprint evidence to be expressed in quantitative terms, paving the way for its full inclusion in the process of identifying criminals, according to a new report.

New test could help track down and prosecute terrorists who use nerve gas and other agents

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:28:28 EST

Scientists are reporting development of a first-of-its-kind technology that could help law enforcement officials trace the residues from terrorist attacks involving nerve gas and other chemical agents back to the companies or other sources where the perpetrators obtained ingredients for the agent. The technique could eventually help track down perpetrators of chemical attacks.

Catching terrorists: Backpacks, not the bombs inside, key to finding DNA

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:20:20 EST

Catching terrorists who detonate bombs may be easier by testing the containers that hide the bombs rather than the actual explosives, according to pioneering research.

New biometric data standard adds DNA, footmarks and enhanced fingerprint descriptions

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:54:54 EST

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology has published a revised biometric standard that vastly expands the type and amount of information that forensic scientists can share across their international networks to identify victims or solve crimes.

The future of airport passport control

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:44:44 EDT

Digital security specialists, major European electronics makers, and experts in biometrics worked together to make passport control at airports faster. The technology also could have broader applications on the way our identity documents are design and on the way we access public services.

Computer vision experts develop 'questionable observer detector'

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:57:57 EDT

Biometrics experts are developing a tool that can help law enforcement and military officials identify suspicious individuals at crime scenes.

Scanner spies document secrets

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:01:01 EDT

A scanner which combines the convenience of a desktop scanner with the functionality of a powerful laboratory imaging device has been developed and is now being commercialized.

Pioneering fingermark technology uses mass spectrometry imaging to provide crime scene investigators with key extra details

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:50:50 EDT

A pioneering technology to detect fingermarks at crime scenes, which provides additional information about a suspect, is a step closer to being incorporated into traditional forensic investigations in the UK.

Nano detector for deadly anthrax

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:46:46 EDT

An automatic and portable detector that takes just fifteen minutes to analyze a sample suspected of contamination with anthrax is being developed by U.S. researchers. The technology amplifies any anthrax DNA present in the sample and can reveal the presence of just 40 microscopic cells of the deadly bacteria Bacillus anthracis.

Particle trap paves way for personalized medicine

Mon, 23 May 2011 15:23:23 EDT

Researchers have trapped individual charged particles in an aqueous solution using a method called "Paul trapping," which uses oscillating electric fields to confine the particles to a space only nanometers in size. The technique paves the way for DNA trapping and sequencing, which would allow for diagnostic testing, therapies and treatments based on each patient's individual genetic makeup.

Dusting for fingerprints -- It ain't CSI

Wed, 11 May 2011 16:25:25 EDT

Fingerprints: dozens of crime dramas revolve around them. The investigators find the victim, dust for fingerprints, run them through a computer program and voilá -- the guilty party is quickly identified and sent to prison. If only it were that easy. The reality is that this common but crucial part of an investigation is done by humans, not by computers.

Forensics: Developing a tool for identification -- even using very degraded DNA samples

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:59:59 EDT

Frequently the only biological material available to identify persons is DNA in a very degraded state. In these cases, the kits usually employed to carry out DNA identifications do not produce accurate results, given that all the DNA is not available. Biochemists have now developed a tool for identifying persons from these small fragments of DNA.

Method developed to match police sketch, mug shot: Algorithms and software will match sketches with mugshots in police databases

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:41:41 EST

Researchers have developed a set of algorithms and created software that will automatically match hand-drawn facial sketches to mug shots that are stored in law enforcement databases.

Enhancing nuclear security

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:00:00 EST

While a world free of nuclear weapons remains a goal for governments around the world, nuclear security constitutes a major challenge for the 21st century, as recognized at the 2010 nuclear security summit in Washington. Citizens are generally aware of international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but they are often unaware of nuclear security research and the important role science in this field. A new European nuclear security training center and enhanced international collaboration are good examples.

Fingerprint makes computer chips counterfeit-proof

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:17:17 EST

Product counterfeiters are increasingly targeting computer chips and electronic components, with attacks on hardware modules becoming commonplace. Tailor-made security technology utilizes a component's individual material properties to generate a digital key. This provides components with an identity -- since their unique structure cannot be copied.

Forensic breakthrough: Recovering fingerprints on fabrics could turn clothes into silent witnesses

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:31:31 EST

Forensic experts in Scotland are leading the way in the research of new ground-breaking forensic techniques within the field of fingerprints. The new research seeks to recover fingerprint ridge detail and impressions from fabrics -- a technique that has up until now proved difficult. It is the first time in more than 30 years that fingerprints on fabrics have been a major focus for research and the team have already had a number of successes.

Converting 2-D photo into 3-D face for security applications and forensics

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:18:18 EST

It is possible to construct a 3-D face from flat 2-D images, according to new research. The discovery could be used for biometrics in security applications or in forensic investigations.

Your genome in minutes: New technology could slash sequencing time

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:11:11 EST

Scientists are developing technology that could ultimately sequence a person's genome in mere minutes, at a fraction of the cost of current commercial techniques.

Breakthrough towards lab-on-chip system for fast detection of single nucleotide variations in DNA

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:59:59 EST

Scientists have developed critical components of a biomedical lab-on-chip sensor enabling fast detection of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA, such as a miniaturized pump for on-chip generation of high pressures, a micropillar filter optimized for DNA separation achieving world-record resolution, and a SNP detector allowing on-chip detection using very small sample volumes.

World's fastest camera takes a new look at biosensing

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:46:46 EST

Scientists have developed a Megaframe Imager -- an ultrafast camera capable of recording images at the incredible rate of one million frames.

Fitting a biological nanopore into an artificial one, new ways to analyze DNA

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:18:18 EST

Researchers a have announced a new type of nanopore device that could help in developing fast and cheap genetic analysis. They report on a novel method that combines artificial and biological materials to result in a tiny hole on a chip, which is able to measure and analyze single DNA molecules.

Age estimation from blood has immediate forensic application

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:16:16 EST

Scientists have devised a method that would allow them to estimate the age of crime suspects or missing persons from blood collected at the scene of a crime. In principle, the new profiling method could be put to immediate practical use by law enforcement, according to researchers. They have already begun the required validation of the test, which is designed to assure that quality standards are met.

New software brings facial-recognition technology to mobile phones

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:17:17 EDT

Scientists have developed software for mobile phones that can track your facial features in real-time. Eventually it will be able to tell who the user is, where they are looking and even how they are feeling.

How to avoid fraud in biometric identification

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:01:01 EDT

Scientists in Spain are analyzing possible attempts at fraud in various biometric identification systems in order to improve the security of facial, iris, fingerprint or vascular recognition, among other types.

Towards better explosives detectors

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:16:16 EDT

Over the past decade, a team of scientists in Maryland have been working to stop the threat of terrorist-based attacks in the form of explosives or explosive-based devices, by providing a sound measurement and standard infrastructure.