Biometric identification or verification has become a mature technology and is widely used in access control systems to improve security and convenience. Nedap is closely working together with major suppliers in order to achieve a seamless integration in AEOS. Biometric technology is still improving and also new technologies come to the market. This means that integration of biometrics is a dynamic process and is subject to changes. Please contact Nedap for the latest developments.

AEOS & biometrics
The Nedap AEOS system provides a high level of integration with biometric systems and also a user platform for enrolment and verification of the biometric parameters. Integration in AEOS means that all advantages of AEOS with respect to storage and backup of data and multi site functionality are also available for the biometric ID.

Why biometrics?
Biometric identification enables companies and organizations to verify the identity of individuals with a high degree of certainty. For that reason, it was first used in typical "high security" environments such as military installations, nuclear power stations, airports etc. Examples of biometric ID systems include: iris, hand, finger and face recognition. With the arrival of user-friendly and affordable systems, you may find many other biometric applications in our day-to-day surroundings, such as sports halls and gymnasia.

Biometric Identification today is more and more an essential part of access control. In most cases however the biometric ID system is not really integrated in the overall access control system due to many biometric ID systems not providing an open interface to other systems. Furthermore, many access control systems do not provide the functionality to incorporate biometric ID. Fortunately, this is all changing now, with Nedap AEOS security management solutions leading the way!

How to implement biometrics?
When implementing biometrics, some questions needs to be answered; do you want to have an alternative for you ID cards or do you want to enhance convenience? Are there privacy issues that need to be considered?

Identification or verification?
Biometric identification
In applications where ID badges are impractical such as sauna’s, swimming pools, but also where ID cards are simply felt as inconvenient persons can be recognized just by showing a biometric parameter e.g. a finger. The improvement of biometric recognition technology enables biometric identification to be successfully implemented in access control systems. Just place your finger or show your face and you are allowed to enter.

Biometric verification
When more security is required Biometric verification will enhance security by checking if the person carrying the ID card, really is the legitimate user.  Verification is started when a registered person shows an ID card. This can be the Nedap XS card, or another type of ID card. After presenting the card, the user has to show a Finger, Hand, Face or Iris. The biometric system processes the data within seconds and if the verification results in a positive match, access can be granted.

Template on card or in a database?
This is an important issue and has important consequences for managing the security of the system. 

Template in the database
If no privacy issues are concerned, the logical choice is to store the biometric templates in the database. For biometric identification this is the only choice. The main advantage is that the initial check of a person’s identity at the enrolment of the biometric parameter has to be done only once. When a card is lost or stolen, a new card can be issued after a quick biometric verification of the person.

Template on the card
Biometric data is considered as sensitive personal information, and in many cases it is not allowed or desired to have this information stored in a central database. An alternative is to write the template only on the person’s ID card, in this case the biometric data is kept by the person and he/she is in control of this data. It requires a secure storage on the card to guarantee that the template cannot be changed. In case of a lost or stolen card the biometric template is gone as well and a completely new enrollment process is required including establishing a person’s real identity.

Implementing biometrics
The enrollment process is the most important part in biometric recognition. All the time spent to do this thoroughly and carefully will amply be paid back in achieving a reliable and fast biometric recognition for all users in the system. The enrollment process starts with the registration of persons in the access control system. Personal data is stored in the database mostly under a unique personal ID number. Essential in the registration process is the allocation of an access ID number, usually together with a token of this number. However, biometric ID does not always require a physical token. 

After registration, the biometric enrollment is done at a biometric reader connected to a client PC containing the AEOS software and the embedded biometric enrollment software. After enrollment the template is distributed to the connected biometric readers in the access control system. The enrollment user interface is fully integrated in AEOS and is based on the biometric vendor's enrollment software tools. The new templates and other enrollment data are stored in the access control system's database and are linked to the person's ID. If necessary the new template can be verified against all templates in the database to prevent multiple enrollments (enrollment of the same person under two or more different names)

For more detailed information on AEOS & Biometrics, please contact Nedap N.V. Security Management.