There are few topics that are discussed more by both researchers and the modern society in the technological fields than the fascinating advances that have occurred in biometrics. Recently, those who work in this area have been presented with an enormous challenge by the public and their governments to invent some way of ensuring the security of both persons and nations. We are told that biometrics is the application of statistical analysis to biological data and scientists have provided us with almost a multitude of systems that might meet the challenge. This compilation is therefore welcomed because it provides, at least for the moment, a sound review of the methods that have and are being developed.
To do this the editors Ratha and Govindaraju have commissioned contributions from some of the leading authorities in the field and in consequence provides a most comprehensive cover. They present these in three sections, which enables them to range over the most relevant topics. These include, as we might expect: sensors; biometric matching and systems designs and implementation.
The contributions also include discussions on biometric standards, the all important security aspects, as well as databases and the created networks.
Readers will turn immediately to the contributions concerning identity and the diverse systems that have been developed to manage the task of uniquely defining a human so that reliable checks can be developed to preserve identity security. These now cover a great range from conventional signatures to a more sophisticated DNA sampling system. It is interesting to note the way so many mathematical and statistical procedures have been rediscovered to enable such identity security checking to operate. The individual authors are well aware of the issues that arise when systems are required to be designed and implemented that directly involve the person. Invasive methods are handled carefully and individual rights have to be protected. The public is very conscious nowadays of their “human rights” and systems that infringe them will not be acceptable. Such issues in themselves deserve several volumes and books such as this one can only deal with them in a superficial fashion. In fact the authors invited to contribute, stick to their brief and restrict themselves to the technology of biometrics and the required algorithms and systems. This book is an acceptable contribution to the ever‐growing list of books that have, and are appearing in the literature. Readers will come from many groups of researchers, developers and those in society with an interest in what to many, is a new and fashionable study. Some parts of the book will be relevant to the work of cybernetics and systems whereas management scientists will not require the technological details but enjoy the general discussions.
