The history of modern biometric technology can be traced back to the 1960s when scientists began to identify the physiological aspects and sounds of phonic speech. Along with this, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) pushed for automated fingerprint identification in 1969. It led to the study of minutiae points that allowed the mapping of unique patterns and ridges of fingerprints.
In the 1990s, biometric science was a booming field when the Department of Defense (DoD) funded face recognition algorithms for commercial markets in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Products Agency (DARPA). Lockheed Martin purchased an automated fingerprint identification device for the FBI.
Around the 2000s, the rollout of biometric technology began. West Virginia University established its first bachelor’s degree program in Computer Engineering and Biometric Systems. Along with this, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standardized generic biometric technologies and promoted collaborative exchange in international research and development.
The European Biometric Forum was also established to address market adoption and fragmentation in biometric technology. Face recognition was accepted by the European Biometric Forum as a method of biometric authentication for passports and other Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs). The United States immigration department also used biometrics to expedite visa applications for legitimate travelers to improve security. Biometric data, such as fingerprints and DNA swabs, iris images, and voice samples, was used to track and identify national security threats.
The history of biometric technology has also changed with the shift to smartphones. Apple introduced Touch ID by Apple on the iPhone 5S in 2013, making biometric technology more accessible for personal everyday use. Touch ID is a feature in iOS phones that allows users to unlock their devices using fingerprint authentication.
After 60 years of research, biometric authentication was finally commercialized and made easier to use as biometric authentication was integrated into smartphones. With open arms, millions of Samsung and Apple customers welcomed biometric fingerprint scanners to their smartphones. After the wide acceptance of fingerprint authentication, Apple transitioned to face recognition as they introduced iPhone X.
5G is predicted to bring big data and the Internet of Things (IoT) into one’s back pockets, making it more accessible than ever. With this, W3C and FIDO webauthn were then established to regulate biometrics, aside from recognizing it. Many people now accept biometric security and biology-based technology that can ensure accuracy and safety in identity verification. Here is an article by Login ID for more information about the history of biometric technology.
Here is an article by Login ID for more information about the history of biometric technology.