The goal of any access control system is to let authorized people, not just their credentials, into specific places. Only with the use of a biometric device can this goal be achieved. A card-based access system will control the access of authorized pieces of plastic, but not who is in possession of the card. Systems using PINs (personal identification numbers) require that an individual only know a specific number to gain entry. But, who actually entered the code cannot be determined. On the contrary, biometric devices verify who a person is by what they are, whether it be their hand, eye, fingerprint, or voice.
Biometrics eliminates the need for cards. While dramatic price reductions have lowered the capital cost of the cards in recent years, the true benefit of eliminating them is realized through reduced administrative efforts. For instance, a lost card must be replaced and reissued by someone. Just as there is a price associated with the time spent to complete this seemingly simple task, when added together, the overall administration of a card system is costly. Hands and eyes are not lost, stolen, or forgotten. They also don't wear out or need to be replaced.
Frost & Sullivan's World Biometric Report 2002 determined that hand geometry readers (HandReaders) continue to be the dominant biometric technology for access control and time and attendance applications. In fact, more people order HandReaders for these applications than all fingerprint and face systems combined.
Case Study: Owens Corning
At the Owens Corning 250-acre campus in Newark, OH, those seeking access to the manufacturing plant, as well as other facilities, must present their hands to an IR Recognition Systems HandReader for a biometric scan to verify identification before admittance to the facilities. The biometric solution is integrated with an Identicard IDentiPASS system.
According to Rodger Orr, IS professional at Owens Corning, there is a good reason to require identification for entrance to the facilities:
"About two years ago, our main office receptionist retired and management decided not to replace her. For years, she had monitored who went in and out of the building, handing out visitor badges. Knowing we had to secure the building, we started looking into other options. Although everyone wore badges, we knew many would forget them and not be able to access the facility. So we started looking into biometric alternatives.
"At that time, I was taking a class for my masters degree at Mount Vernon College and a classmate was doing a report on biometrics," reports Orr. "He covered hand geometry extensively in his report so we investigated it and found it most suitable for our employees. As a result, we chose the hand geometry method as our primary access control device. Let's face it, your hand cannot be lost, forgotten, or stolen like a password or ID card."
To enter the facility, an Owens Corning salaried employee simply enters a code and places his/her hand on the reader. Within a second, the HandReader picks out more than 90 identifying factors, including width, length, thickness, and surface area, and compares it to a template. A match unlocks the door. Since it was counterproductive for the staff to constantly go up front to let them in and out, salespeople, approved contractors, and technical consultants also have access via the HandReaders.
"We've had a positive response from our users," Orr relates. "I always double check a new enrollee's scan by entering that person's ID number and my own hand. Importantly, I can set an expiration date for contractors and salespeople. As a result, the HandReader will only accept the hand scan up until a certain date. We're also impressed that the system provides a duress code. This is a code that a person in need can enter prior to their normal code to notify us that they are in trouble.
"This system is especially efficient because multiple users with authorization can access the panel from their PCs over the computer network. For example, I was approached in the hallway recently by a vendor requesting hand geometry access to our building. I downloaded the software from the PC in my office, scanned the vendor's hand, keyed in his name and assigned an ID number on the spot. The entire process took only minutes."
Integration -- Tailoring to the Application, Organization Served
The primary function of any biometric device is to verify the identity of an individual. Access control requires the ability to identify the person plus unlock a door, grant or deny access based on time restrictions, and monitor door alarms. There are a variety of ways biometrics accomplish this task.
Standalone Systems. Many biometrics are available in a standalone configuration. Such devices are not only a biometric, but also a complete door controller for a single door. Users are enrolled at the unit and their biometric template is stored locally for subsequent comparison. The actual comparison is accomplished within the unit and a lock output is energized, depending on the outcome.
Networked Systems. Many access control applications have a need to control more than one door. While multiple standalone units could be employed, a network of biometric readers is much more feasible. By networking the systems together and then connecting them to a computer, several advantages are available to users. The most obvious is centralized monitoring of the system. Alarm conditions and activity for all the doors in the system are reported back to the PC. All transactions are stored on the computer's disk drive and can be recalled for a variety of user-customized reports.
Networked systems also provide convenient template management. Although a user enrolls at one location, their template is available at other authorized locations. Deletion of a user or changes in an access profile are simply entered at the PC. Some biometric systems store all information in the PC where template comparisons are also performed. Others distribute template information to the individual readers at each door. Either way, the net effect of template management is the same.
Smart Card Systems. Smart cards raise the bar even higher, providing additional capabilities and flexibilities. As costs begin to come down and use is more widespread, biometrics devices can leverage their secure data storage. For instance, a smart card can store both the user's ID number and hand geometry template on the card. Because of this, there is no need to distribute hand templates across a network of HandReaders or require the access control system to manage biometric templates. This means integration to any existing access control application is greatly simplified and additional network infrastructure costs are eliminated. Since the template only resides on the card, the solution also eases individual privacy concerns.
Providing the best of smart cards and biometrics, the solution provides dual authentication by requesting both the right card and the right person. A smart card reader is embedded into the biometric reader. A plastic cardholder is affixed to the side of the unit. The verification process takes approximately one second and is virtually foolproof.
Third-Party System Integration. Biometric manufacturers offer a variety of different methods to integrate biometrics into conventional access control systems. The most common way is "card reader emulation." This method is very effective when integrating into existing card-based systems to bring extra security to the front entrance or server room. The wiring is identical to the card reader's wiring.
In this mode, the biometric device essentially works with the access control panel in the exact same way that a card reader does. The "card reader output port" of the biometric is connected to the panel's card reader port. When a person uses the biometric, it outputs the ID number of the individual if, and only if, they are verified.
The format of the output is consistent with the card technology used by the access control panel. Once an ID number reaches the panel, it is handled as if it came from a card reader. The determination of granting access is made by the panel. The access control panel, not the biometric, handles door control and monitoring.
As an alternative to a keypad, some biometric readers also have a card reader input capability, the most common being proximity and smart cards, although other technologies are also supported. At the biometric unit, the user swipes her card, which contains her ID number. If verified, that card number is sent up to the panel for a decision.
