Biometric Scanning Technologies: Finger, Facial and Retinal Scanning

This paper discusses several Biometric scan technologies: finger-scan, facialscan and retinal-scan. We discuss the recent history of Biometrics and how it has been influenced by such pseudo-sciences as Phrenology, the study of human skull characteristics and Anthropometry, the study of human body measurement. We discuss how finger-scan technology was influenced by French and British police advancements in the nineteenth century and still remain the most widely used Biometric technology today. Facial-scan technology is beset with privacy concerns especially when this technology is applied to unsuspecting crowds. Retinal-scan technology, is a relatively new entrant to the biometric field and offers significant promise. One of the continuing challenges for the biometric industry is to define the environment in which the technology provides the strongest benefit to individuals and institutions. For the security officer, the challenge will be to demonstrate to upper management that the costs associated with deployment outweigh the risks and costs.