14-11-2012, 02:14 PM
Palm Vein Authentication System: A Review
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Abstract
This paper presents a review on the palm vein authentication device that uses blood vessel
patterns as a personal identifying factor. The vein information is hard to duplicate since veins
are internal to the human body. The palm vein authentication technology offers a high level of
accuracy. Palm vein authentication uses the vascular patterns of an individual’s palm as
personal identification data. Compared with a finger or the back of a hand, a palm has a
broader and more complicated vascular pattern and thus contains a wealth of differentiating
features for personal identification. The importance of biometrics in the current field of
Security has been depicted in this work. We have also outlined opinions about the utility of
biometric authentication systems, comparison between different techniques and their
advantages and disadvantages in this paper. Several banks in Japan have used the palm vein
authentication technology for customer identification since July 2004. In addition, Fujitsu has
integrated the technology into the access control of electronic door lock systems. Fujitsu
plans to further expand applications for this technology by downsizing the sensor and
improving the verification speed.
Introduction
Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological
or behavioral characteristic. Among the features measured are; face, fingerprints, hand
geometry, handwriting, iris, retinal, vein, and voice. Biometric systems are superior
because they provide a nontransferable means of identifying people not just cards or
badges. The key point about an identification method that is ”nontransferable" means it
cannot be given or lent to another individual so nobody can get around the system -
they personally have to go through the control point.
The fundamentals of biometrics are that they are things about a person:
- measurable - things that can be counted, numbered or otherwise quantified
- physiological characteristics - like height, eye color, fingerprint, DNA etc.
- behavioral characteristics
Previous Works
Biometrics authentication is a growing and controversial field in which civil liberties
groups express concern over privacy and identity issues. Today, biometric laws and
regulations are in process and biometric industry standards are being tested. Automatic
recognition based on “who you are” as opposed to “what you know” (PIN) or “what you
have” (ID card). Recognition of a person by his body & then linking that body to an
externally established identity forms a very powerful tool for identity management
Biometric Recognition. Figure 1 shows the different type of biometric authentication.
Canadian airports started using iris scan in 2005 to screen pilots and airport workers.
Pilots were initially worried about the possibility that repeated scans would negatively
affect their vision but the technology has improved to the point where that is no longer
an issue. Canada Customs uses an iris scan system called CANPASS-Air for low-risk
travelers at Pearson airport.
Palm Vein Authentication Workflow
An individual inserts a smart card into the sensor device and holds her hand over the
reader. The vein pattern is instantly captured using a completely safe near-infrared
light. The reader converts the image into an encrypted biometric template and compares
it against the template on the smart card (1 to 1 matching) or those in the database (1 to
N matching).
Results
As a result of the Fujitsu research using data from 140,000 palms (70,000
individuals), Fujitsu has confirmed that the FAR (false acceptance rate) is 0.00008%
and the FRR(false rejection rate) is 0.01%, with the following condition: a person must
hold the palm over the sensor for three scans during registration, and then only one
final scan is permitted to confirm authentication.
In addition, the following data has been used to confirm the accuracy of this
technology: data from 5-year to 85- year old people of various backgrounds based on
statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan’s
population distribution; data from foreigners in Japan based on the world population
distribution announced by the U.N.; data of the daily changes of Fujitsu employees
tracked over several years; and data of various human activities such as drinking,
bathing, going outside, and waking up.
Palm vein authentication technology offers contactless authentication and provides a
hygienic and non invasive solution, thus promoting a high-level of user acceptance.
Fujitsu believes that a vein print is extremely difficult to forge and therefore contributes
to a high level of security, because the technology measures hemoglobin flow through
veins internal to the body. The opportunities to implement palm vein technology span a
wide range of applications.
Conclusions
Reliable personal recognition is critical to many applications in our day to day life.
Biometrics refers to automatic recognition of an individual based on her behavioral and/or physiological characteristics. It is obvious that any system assuring reliable
personal recognition must necessarily involve a biometric component. This is not,
however, to state that biometrics alone can deliver reliable personal recognition
component.
Biometric-based systems also have some limitations that may have adverse
implications for the security of a system. While some of the limitations of biometrics
can be overcome with the evolution of biometric technology and a careful system
design, it is important to understand that foolproof personal recognition systems simply
do not exist and perhaps, never will. Security is a risk management strategy that
identifies controls, eliminates, or minimizes uncertain events that may adversely affect
system resources and information assets. The security level of a system depends on the
requirements (threat model) of an application and the cost-benefit analysis.