Is Biometric Technology Worth The Investment?

Industry analysts expect rapid growth and widespread growth of biometric systems to control access to everything from buildings to computer networks in the near future. But many firms that have already installed systems based on biometric technology say the systems have not yet proven themselves worth the investment.

Biometric technology will reduce or even eliminate the need for keys, passwords, and security cards with magnetic strips all of which are popular tools for controlling access. Biometric technology uses and individuals unique intrinsic physical and/or behavioral characteristics to identify the person and either grant or deny access.

At least one credit union executive disagrees with critics who argue biometric technology is to expensive and unreliable. This particular credit union invested about $40,000 to install a fingerprint-scanning system. Before installation of this biometric security system, credit union employees had to memorize up to 10 passwords to access various networks. Now all they have to do is place their finger on the scanner to be granted access. This new system has also reduced calls to the help desk to request rests of forgotten passwords will cost $50 to $100 per call.

Who is Most Interested in Biometric Technology?

Despite it's benefits, biometric technology has not seen the rapid growth some analysts expected. A recent Forrester Research survey found that only 1% of companies polled had implemented biometric systems, 3% were rolling out a biometric system, and 15% were testing biometric technology. Most of the early adopters are government agencies and defense firms. But certain segments of private industry have also shown interest in biometric technology such as financial services, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare

Most of the growth in these healthcare and financial service sectors has been spurred by regulations requiring tighter security and audit trails for employees with access to sensitive data and computer networks. Pharmaceutical companies are investing in biometric technology to protect their significant investments in research and development of new drugs.

The most widely used biometric security systems employ fingerprint scanners. But some firms are deploying more sophisticated iris scanners and handprint readers to protected restricted areas. Some airports have tested facial-recognition software and report mixed results. One industry executive says facial-recognition technology works most effectively in places where people remain still for extended periods of time such as casinos. He says contrary to popular reports, facial-recognition technology has not yet reached the point where it can immediately spot a criminal in a crowd.

The future of biometric technology is bright. As with any technology there have been some hiccups, but as more and more companies adopt biometric technology the kinks will be worked out and advances in it's use and effectiveness are being made at a rapid rate already.