Published by Australian Academy of Science
Useful sites | Putting a finger on it – the loops and whorls of biometrics

Biotechnology – biometrics (Questacon, Australia)

Provides an overview of different biometric techniques.
http://smartmoves.questacon.edu.au/newmoves/technology.asp?subTech=Biotechnology+%2D+Biometrics&supergroup=Biotechnology

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

• Fingerprints identical? (The Lab)
  Discusses the myth that fingerprint identification is infallible.
  http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1579301.htm

• Smart gates, virtual borders and biometrics (The Buzz, 3 July 2004)
  Discusses the use of biometric technology in Australia.
  http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/buzz/stories/s1145822.htm

• The Buzz (transcript from 12 November 2001)
  Discusses the use of Photo Trac, a computer-based system that works by comparing the face of a person who has been arrested with 240,000 photos of people who have been arrested over the last 4 years.
  http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/buzz/stories/s416445.htm

• Security versus privacy (The Slab)
  Looks at high-technology security and its impact on individual privacy.
  http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/security/default.htm

Biometrics and privacy (Roger Clarke, Department of Computer Science, Australian National University)

Covers biometric technologies and uses, as well as threats and safeguards to privacy.
http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/DV/Biometrics.html

Biometrics 101 (Biometrics Task Force, US Army)

A step by step tutorial on biometric technologies.
http://www.biometrics.dod.mil/bio101/Default.aspx

How Stuff Works, USA

• How fingerprint scanners work
  Explains the basics of fingerprints and how they are scanned.
  http://www.howstuffworks.com/fingerprint-scanner.htm

• How biometrics works
  Summarises various biometric systems and whether they can be faked.
  http://www.howstuffworks.com/biometrics.htm

• How phishing works
  Describes on-line identity theft. Also examines the common traits of phishing schemes and the tricks used to deceive people and software.
  http://www.howstuffworks.com/phishing.htm/printable

An overview of biometrics (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, USA)

From this overview you can select more information about specific areas of biometrics (eg, fingerprint identification, speaker recognition, hand geometry).
http://biometrics.cse.msu.edu/info.html

Fingerprint analysis – the basics (CrimTrac, Australia)

Uses a labelled diagram to explain different fingerprint characteristics (eg, ridge endings, spurs). Also covers the principles of fingerprint identification and points of similarity for fingerprint matching.
http://www.crimtrac.gov.au/systems_projects/FingerprintAnalysis-TheBasics.html

Biometrics: Your body is your password (Biometrics Australia)

An overview of the different measurements that can be used in biometrics, and what is currently available for use in the business world.
http://www.biometricsaustralia.com/article.html