Panasonic BM-ET100US Authenticam

Biometrics is one of those technologies that makes great headlines but rarely results in mainstream products. We've seen fingerprint security on occasion - for example, in Samsung's P10C notebook - but Panasonic, in league with Iridian Technologies, is the first to make iris recognition a commodity and for only £280.

The eye is the most complex and unique human organ. Whereas fingerprints change as you get older, your iris pattern is formed soon after birth and remains relatively stable throughout your life. There's a one in 1 x 1078 chance of someone else having the same iris as you, which as a number is more people than has have ever existed, so the likelihood of duplication is small at best. And eyes lose their iris pattern soon after removal, so the Minority Report scenario of using a severed eye is also impossible - the only option would be a transplant. Panasonic claims that fingerprint recognition uses 60 variables for measurement, whereas Iridian's patented 512-byte IrisCode recognition uses 244 and has the unique statistic of a 0 per cent chance of false match, which no other biometric systems can compete with.

So that's the theory, but more important is whether it works. The Authenticam itself is a fairly ordinary-looking USB camera, but it has two lenses. One offers high-resolution fixed-focus optics for authentication, the other regular optics for webcam use. The first step is to install the Private ID Authenticam drivers, so that when the device is plugged into a USB port these are automatically loaded. Next, a Wizard-based test procedure ensures everything is working properly. The final stage is to install the security control software - SecureSuite.

Windows 2000 users get SecureSuite 3.1, and Windows 98 and ME users version 2.3. Windows XP isn't currently supported, but Panasonic claims it will be by the time you read this. SecureSuite 3.1 replaces the Windows 2000 security layer, so that after first installation you must set up a default administration account and use a utility to import your Windows 2000 users. You can then set up authentication methods for each user, including password and iris recognition, by going through an enrolment procedure to set the password or register your iris as a key. You may then use your iris and/or a password to log into your system.

SecureSuite also comes with SecureSession, a secure version of IE's autocomplete. SecureFolder is supplied for encrypting folders and files, and SecureApp restricts the use of specific applications. IrisCode definitions can be managed by a central KnoWho server, making the Authenticam an option for strong corporate network security.

The major issue with the Authenticam, however, is getting the camera to pick up your iris correctly in the first place. As this is a fixed-focus camera, you need to be in exactly the right place. An orange light helps you align your eye, but getting the right distance is a matter of trial and error. The light goes green when your iris has been accurately captured. Rolling the Authenticam out across a company might cause considerable initial aggravation as employees get used to it, but it does offer unparalleled levels of security. You may forget your password, but (barring accidents...) your eyes are always with you.

Author: James Morris