Breakthroughs in technology as well as heightened need for higher level security have combined to bring renewed attention to biometrics as a means of physical access control. Bill Spence of Recognition Systems division of IR Security & Safety is author of this special report. This first in the report’s series provides an executive briefing on practical issues of biometrics and the need to understand error rates.

The first question, once you have decided to consider biometrics, should be “Is this technology right for me?” After getting comfortable with the technology and successful in justifying it, the next step is deciding what biometrics technology is right for the specific application. Certain technologies are extremely well-suited and thoroughly proven in access control applications. Others still are relatively untried or unreliable.