Security Infrastructure is perceived to be one of the mature disciplines of security. The functioning of security has evolved from addressing security threats at the network layer. Till recently, attackers were seen deploying innovative methodologies to penetrate into the network of an organization to get access to sensitive information assets. This has led to serious consequences, attracting attention of organizations to undertake the corrective measures. This was complemented with market innovations that delivered solutions such as Iris Recognition technology.

In India, nearly 70 per cent population is into labour, agriculture and other manual activities. Fingerprints of farmers and manual labourers tend to get worn out over a period of time. Thus establishing identity and accountability can become a challenge. Iris on the other hand remains intact throughout the life of an individual. Security solutions of the highest standards should not be a matter of luxury. Instead it should be treated as a necessity and should be made available for everyone at an economical price. Iris recognition is one of the most secure and accurate modes of biometrics used for security and surveillance in sectors such as government, military and defence, healthcare, banking and finance, consumer electronics, travel and immigration, and automotive.

It is the best authentication process available today. While many mistake it for retinal scanning, iris recognition simply involves image processing authentication. Iris recognition technology uses unique patterns that are formed in the iris as a means of identification for humans. Practically there cannot be two humans who have the same iris pattern what so ever. The accuracy rate of the software is such that the chance of error in iris recognition technology is 1:1.5 million.

Very few people know about the technology, so to introduce a simple, easy to understand and operate product was our main challenge. However, India is a cost effective nation and we as Indians believe in value for money, so by offering a technology which is cost efficient, contact less and at the same time far superior in comparison to other forms of biometrics, the mass adoption of the same in the enterprise as well as the consumer segment will be quite easy. Biometrics, the statistical analysis of genetic data, from the face, to the eyes, to the finger, is being incorporated into security infrastructures in order to strengthen both physical security and cyber security.

Iris recognition proves to be beneficial for five reasons:

Stable – the unique pattern in the human iris is formed by 10 months of age, and remains unchanged throughout one’s lifetime.

Unique – the probability of two Iris producing the same code is nearly impossible

Flexible – iris recognition technology easily integrates into existing security systems or operates as a standalone

Reliable – a distinctive iris pattern is not susceptible to theft, loss or compromise

Non-Invasive – unlike retinal screening, iris recognition is non-contact and quick, offering unmatched accuracy when compared to any other security alternative

Security should not be considered as a luxury. In fact it should be prioritised as a necessity for everyone across all layers of society

Iris-based authentication of residents is a state-of-the-art authentication service which enables an Aadhaar holder to identify himself/herself using the Iris image. The service can be availed of by all those who have an Aadhaar number including the old, blind and those who may have undergone cataract surgery. India is the first country in the world to offer a public Iris Authentication platform and enablement of Iris Authentication for about 100 Crore+ residents, who currently hold Aadhaar numbers. UIDAI had conducted proof of concept (PoC) exercises involving Iris technology and concluded that more than 99percent of residents could be reliably authenticated. With only Fingerprint based authentication there is always a risk of failure because of deterioration of beneficiaries' fingerprint quality, especially given the country's large farm worker population, among the main target groups for different welfare schemes.

There is strong probability of this main target group that fingerprints may get worn out, but his iris won't as iris patterns are much more solid. Iris recognition uses random textures that are visible in the eye, using the eye to confirm someone’s identity. Unlike voice, fingerprints & facial structure, iris patterns have far more random patterns. An algorithm is created to map the iris, and then the random patterns which are formed are used to create a unique bar code which is unique for every individual.

Iris based authentication is used to identify an individual by analysing the unique pattern of the iris from a certain distance. Iris based authentication is contact less, which makes it the most hygienic biometric modality and an ideal for safe use in environments like healthcare , patient identification , hotels, examination halls, airports, border control, passport substitutions, single sign-on, access control and so on. Iris recognition is also the most accurate form of biometric identification currently available with extremely low FAR (False Acceptance Rates) and FRR (False Rejection Rates).

The latest iris scanner can be useful in our day to day lives as well. It can be fixed outside our door and used for key less entry. It can double up as additional security for mobiles and personal computers and even apps, email clients and social networking websites. Iris Recognition Technology eradicates manual validation and proxies, encourages punctuality and efficiency in schools and organizations where capturing attendance is mandatory. It can be further used for forensic & criminal investigation, for security checks at airports and border security. It can also be useful at data centres, labs, hospitals, banks and utility centres. In India, we have a huge scope for iris recognition technology as it is about ‘Who you are’ and not about ‘What you can carry’ or ‘What you can remember’.