Biometric Immigration Control: Now Live at Heathrow
PublicTechnology.net reports on the implementation of an iris-scanning biometric security system at the UK's Heathrow Airport.
Frequent travellers from the UK and abroad ought to benefit from a faster, biometric way to pass through immigration control with new technology is launched at Heathrow Terminal 1 at the end of last week.Meanwhile, Toronto's Pearson International Airport appears to be gearing up for a biometric identification system of its own using biometric's stored on a card.The Iris Recognition Immigration System ( IRIS ) will now enable registered passengers to enter the UK without queuing to see an immigration officer at passport control. Instead individuals signed up to the scheme will be able to walk up to an automated barrier, simply look into a camera and if the system recognises them enter the UK, leaving immigration officers to concentrate on other priorities.
This biometric technology works by photographing a passenger's iris patterns and storing the data in a database, together with their passport details. Only those individuals who have had their details authenticated by an immigration officer are able to use the technology. As no two iris patterns are alike, the system will quickly and securely recognise each registered individual when they look into the camera.
Terminal 1 is the third terminal at Heathrow to benefit from the new technology, which was introduced in Terminals 2 and 4 in June 2005.
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