Pentagon buying handheld biometric devices

[Jag]

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism...5-103728-6907r

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- The Pentagon is to spend $10 million on mobile biometric readers that can scan fingerprints and irises to check people's identity.

Visage Technology Inc. announced last week that the Defense Department was buying its Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment, which it said was a "rugged ... multimodal device" that could be used to check identities against biometric ID cards or watch-lists, using facial recognition, iris scans or fingerprints.

The device can be can be used as a mobile handheld system or connected to a host computer or network, the company said in a statement. It could be used for "mobile identification of people on the battlefield, at border checkpoints, in airports, in detention centers and for checking people against watch lists."


I for one do not like this...who would be issued these devices, who would regulate them to insure that they wouldn't be misused?

Jag

[American Patriot]

I for one do not like this...who would be issued these devices, who would regulate them to insure that they wouldn't be misused?

You have to be in a data base for them to work in the first place.

I just happen to "know a little bit" about this subject. these are actually a bit less...... let's call it "intrusive" than a facial recognition device.

Why? Because the person being checked needs to be in a database and actively involved in being in the database.

A facial recognition computer only needs a picture taken from any sort of camera, whether it is web-based, security (in an airport, or streetcorner) or some clown walking past with a digital camera.

[Ryan Ruck]

I think this would be a really great asset, especially for Border Patrol officers where illegals are known to use many different aliases. Can't fake a retinal scan when you go in for booking...

[Jag]

OK, I need a long rest somewhere, didn't think this one through before I posted. Thanks Rick and Ryan for "showing me the light".

Jag

[American Patriot]

Well.... rest or no, and light or not... I'm sure there are a LOT of people out there that are dead set against any sort of "big brotherism"... including me and Ryan.

But, IF you're going to limit ACCESS to something, then biometrics is the right way to go. We've used retinal scanners, though they aren't used much and currently we do not. We use something called a "hand geometry unit", which basically reads the hand's outline. There are, as with anything always problems. haha.

Still... if I had the money, my computer equipment, and home security would use fingerprint readers or something similar.

Rick