Retina Pattern System

The system records elements of the blood-vessel pattern of the retina on the inside rear portion of the eyeball by using a camera to acquire the image.

Enrollment Procedure and Time

The subject is directed to position his or her eye an inch or two from the system aperture, keeping a pulsing green dot inside the unit centered in the aperture, and remain still. An ultra-low-intensity invisible light enables reading 320 points on a 450º circle on the retina. A PIN is entered on a unit keypad. Total enrollment time required is less than 2 minutes.

Template or File Size

The retina pattern digitized waveform is stored as a 96-byte template.

User Actions Required

If verifying, the user enters the PIN on the keypad. The system automatically acquires data when an eye is positioned in front of the aperture and centered on the pulsing green dot. Acceptance or nonacceptance is indicated in the LCD display.

System Response Time

Verification system decision time is about 1.5 seconds. Recognition decision time is less than 5 seconds with a 1,500-file data base. Average throughput time is 4 to 7 seconds.

Anticounterfeit Method

The system “requires a live, focusing eye to acquire pattern data,” according to the manufacturer.

Accuracy

Sandia National Laboratories test of the previous retina model produced no false accepts and a crossover error rate of 1.5%. The new model, System 2001, is expected to perform similarly.

Field History

Hundreds of the original binocular-type units were fielded before those models were discontinued. They were used for access control and identification in colleges, laboratories, government facilities, and jails. The new model, System 2001, is now on sale.

Problems Experienced

Because persons perspiring or having watery eyes could leave moisture on the eyecups of the previous models, some users were concerned about acquiring a disease through the transfer of body fluids. Because the previous models used a red light beam to acquire pattern data, some users were concerned about possible eye damage from the “laser.” No allegations were made that any user actually became injured or diseased through the use of these systems. Because some physical conditions such as diabetes and heart attacks can cause changes in the retinal pattern, which can be detected by this system, some users were concerned that management would gain unauthorized medical information that could be used to their detriment. No cases of detrimental employee personnel actions resulting from retina system information have been reported.

Unique System Aspects

Some potential system users remain concerned about potential eye damage from using the new System 2001. They state that, even if they cannot see it, the system projects a beam inside the eye to read the retina pattern. Patents for retina-based identification are owned by EyeDentify Inc.

Iris Pattern System

The iris (i.e., the colored portion of the eye surrounding the pupil) has rich and unique patterns of striations, pits, freckles, rifts, fibers, filaments, rings, coronas, furrows, and vasculature. The images are acquired by a standard 1/3 inch CCD video camera capturing 30 images per second, similar to a camcorder.

Enrollment Procedure and Time

The subject looks at a mirror-like LCD feedback image of his or her eye, centering and focusing the image as directed. The system creates zones of analysis on the iris image, locates the features within the zones, and creates an IrisCode. The system processes three images, selects the most representative, and stores it upon approval of the operator. A PIN is added to the administrative (i.e., name, address) data file. Total enrollment time required is less than 2 minutes.

Template or File Size

The IrisCode occupies 256 bytes.

User Actions Required

The IriScan system can operate as a verifier, but is normally used in full identification mode because it performs this function faster than most systems verify. The user pushes the start button, tilts the optical unit if necessary to adjust for height, and looks at the LCD feedback image of his or her eye, centering and focusing the image. If the system is used as a verifier, a keypad or cardreader is interconnected.

System Response Time

Visual and audible annunciation of the identified or not identified decision occurs in 1 to 2 seconds, depending on the size of the data base. Total throughput time (i.e., start button to annunciation) is 2.5 to 4 seconds with experienced users.

Anticounterfeit Method

The system ensures that data input is from a live person by using naturally occurring physical factors of the eye.

Accuracy

Sandia National Laboratories’ test of a preproduction model had no false accepts, low false rejects, and the system “performed extremely well.” Sandia has a production system currently in testing. British Telecommunications recently tested the system in various modes and will publish a report in its engineering journal. They report 100% correct performance on over 250,000 IrisCode comparisons. “Iris recognition is a reliable and robust biometric. Every eye presented was enrolled. There were no False Accepts, and every enrolled eye was successfully recognized.” Other tests have reported a crossover error rate of less than 0.5%.

Field History

Units have been fielded for access control and personnel identification at military and government organizations, banks, telecommunications firms, prisons and jails, educational institutions, manufacturing companies, and security companies.

Problems Experienced

Because this is a camera-based system, the optical unit must be positioned such that the sun does not shine directly into the aperture.

Unique System Aspects

The iris of the eye is a stable organ that remains virtually unchanged from 1 year of age throughout life. Therefore, once enrolled, a person will always be recognized, absent certain eye injuries or diseases. IriScan Inc. has the patents worldwide on iris recognition technology.