What Are Biometric Devices?
Biometric devices are used in computerized security systems, primarily to identify physical attributes such as facial features, eye patterns, fingerprints, voice, and handwriting. According to Questbiometrics.com, biometric devices are divided into two types: behavioral biometrics and physical biometrics.
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Behavioral Biometric Devices
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Behavioral biometric devices are those that analyze ingrained human characteristics that hardly fluctuate over time. For example, a security system on a computer that uses signature recognition is a behavioral biometric device. Because the basic characteristics of a person's signature doesn't change, the system recognizes the signature entered as either authentic or forged. According to Questbiometrics.com, behavioral biometric devices are primarily used to verify someone's identity.
Physical Biometric Devices
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Opposite of behavioral biometric devices, physical biometric devices analyze physical features. Because physical features do not change over time, physical biometric devices are primarily used to identify an individual. For example, a fingerprint scanner for a hard drive or computer system is a physical biometric device. It analyzes an individual's fingerprints and compares them to those recorded as authentic.
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Uses
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Biometric devices are primarily used for security purposes. Computers, building and business security systems, research labs, and other facilities/machines that hold sensitive information, often use biometric devices to protect important data. Biometric devices are also used to monitor attendance and 'clocking-in/clocking-out' at work. Questbiometrics.com argues that biometric attendance systems prevent attendance and time fraud by using physical biometric devices (namely a fingerprint scanner) to record employees' attendance and time reported in and out of work.
Other Biometric Devices
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While biometric devices are primarily used in high-tech facilities and in business environments, many people are using biometric devices everyday. For example, biometric flash drives combine the large data storage capabilities and portability of a flash drive with the increased security of a biometric fingerprint scanner. Also, biometric door locks combine the security of a fingerprint scanner with an electronic security system in which only recognized fingerprints can access a home or other location where security is important.
Biometric Safes
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Another way that biometric devices are being used is with biometric safes. These are safes that use fingerprint scanning to protect valuables. Questbiometrics.com offers biometric safes for the protection of jewelry, valuables and heirlooms, money, handguns, sensitive information, or anything else that can be placed inside the device.
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