BIOMETRICS is the measurement of biological data. The term
 biometrics is commonly used today to refer to the authentication of
 a person by analyzing physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, or
 behavioral characteristics, such as signatures. Since many physical and
 behavioral characteristics are unique to an individual, biometrics
 provides a more reliable system of authentication than ID cards, keys,
 passwords, or other traditional systems. The word <ibiometrics<i comes
 from two Greek words and means life measure.

 Any characteristic can be used as a biometric identifier if (1) every
 person possesses the characteristic, (2) it varies from person to person,
 (3) its properties do not change considerably over time, and (4) it can be
 measured manually or automatically. Physical characteristics commonly used
 in biometric authentication include face, fingerprints, handprints, eyes,
 and voice. Biometric authentication can be used to control the security of
 computer networks, electronic commerce and banking transactions, and
 restricted areas in office buildings and factories. It can help prevent
 fraud by verifying identities of voters and holders of driver's licence
 or visas.

 In authentication, a sensor captures a digital image of the characteristic
 being used to verify the user's identity. A computer program extracts a
 pattern of distinguishing features from the digital image. Another program
 compares this pattern with the one representing the user that was recorded
 earlier and stored in the system database. If the patterns match well
 enough, the biometric system will conclude that the person is who he or
 she claims to be.

 Anil K. Jain