The UK based, xVista says that it has developed a portable iris scanning and verification system which could be built into a mobile phone. Developed through a US$3.4 million, six year partnership with the University of Sussex, the xVista system is designed to discreetly and securely map the iris for individual characteristics. The iris is first registered on to a central database creating a template that can be checked against all further scans to verify the user’s identity.

The system is capable of running from any low power computing device or camera equipped mobile phone. A 256 Mb mobile phone memory card will be able to hold over 250,000 separate iris templates and from a database of 1,000,000 irises, it will take less than one second for it to verify an individual iris.

Previously the realm of science fiction, biometrics are increasingly becoming an important part of modern security systems, with a pilot iris scanning scheme having recently been introduced into passport control at Heathrow’s Terminal One. There are now plans to introduce similar biometric security systems into other airports across the country.

Karlis Obrams Managing Director of xVista says “The xVista technology performs a similar task to the traditional signature, photograph or pin number in confirming an individual’s identity, but is far more reliable. The fact that the system can run from portable devices like the mobile phone and SIM card opens up fantastic potential for its use, making it far more effective than other scanning systems that are usually bulky and limited to fixed points.

“Using an airport as an example, the xVista system can be deployed across all members of a security team in a discreet handheld device, enabling staff to know within seconds whether a pilot, crew member or baggage handler is who they say they are, offering peace of mind against threats such as identity theft and terrorism.”

xVista is currently in discussions with the Defence Diversification Agency – the government agency responsible for identifying new civil technology with potential for defence and homeland security application.

[…]

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17473.php

Like I have said many times before, the police will have mobile thumbprint scanners to ID you whenever they cordon off an area and do a sweep. Now they will have a very inexepensive way to scan your eye for an instant check, and of course, they will use the GSM network both to connect to the NIR / IVS and to instantly collect any payment for the record check.

Think about it; anyone will be able to do a check on you with their mobile phone, and be charged, say, one pound to do it. That means that the system will be fleecing in millions of pounds per day as the perverted fetish for ID’ing people takes off.

And of course, that is what this really is, a perverted sexuall fetish, where people are allowed to ‘get into you’, and ‘get into your stuff’. The myriad ways that this is being done, the feindish permutations of different scenarios and devices is no different to the filthy sex toy industry, and the public are the unwilling providers of the soft flesh that is to be violated.

And now for the obligatory tearing apart:

University of Sussex

Shame on you. Shame on you for participating in something that is to be used to abuse millions of people. Shame on you for participating in fraud.

The iris is first registered on to a central database

Bad bad bad. But you know this.

Previously the realm of science fiction

Where it should have stayed, and to where it will eventually be resigned, filed under, “how we got the face of the future wrong”.

biometrics are increasingly becoming an important part of modern security systems

This is a double talk lie. Biometrics are not ‘modern’, and they do not provide security, as this line tries to imply.

The xVista technology performs a similar task to the traditional signature, photograph or pin number in confirming an individual’s identity, but is far more reliable.

This is a fantastic lie. You can change your signature whenever you like. No one ever made you sign you name in front of a guard in order to check your identity before letting you through a door; that is nonsense. Pin numbers and photographs can be changed; in essence, they are disposable. You can have a different picture for each of your photo IDs if you choose. Your iris is not disposable. Once you let it out, you can never get it back. Everyone knows that this technology is not reliable, and that is not a problem in itself, because these things can improve; the problem is that everyone is putting absolute trust in biometrics, meaning that if there is an error, it will be harder to get redress.

the xVista system can be deployed across all members of a security team in a discreet handheld device…

‘Security team’ means the Police. And they know it. And that’s bad.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 22nd, 2006 at 8:49 am and is filed under NIR.