A Close Eye on Iris Recognition

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched the Iris Challenge Evaluation (ICE) to gauge the state of this type of biometric technology.The two-phase evaluation process will, according to a NIST statement, “promote the development and advancement of iris recognition technology and assess its state-of-the-art capbability.”

In the first phase, which began in August and runs through January, participants work on a challenge problem from NIST. The second phase, tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2006, is an independent evaluation of the various technologies by NIST researchers.

ICE is evaluating technology from vendors as well as research and academic institutions around the world, and will consider research prototypes in addition to commercial products. The evaluation is being jointly sponsored by a number of federal government agencies, including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Institute of Justice.

@ Find out more about ICE .