Iris biometrics overview

Content of this page:

• Overview
• The technology
• The SDK

Overview

The iris of the human eye is as unique as a fingerprint. Each of our eyes has a different iris with a completely unique pattern that, unless injured, remains unchanged throughout our lives. Eye irises are captured at a distance, usually in the near-infrared spectral region where even seemingly dark and plain irises reveal rich texture.

The complexity and richness of iris texture, combined with the randomness across the population, makes it possible to use iris recognition in a number of biometric identification scenarios. An iris identification system can be designed using:

1. a common PC, that offers enough capabilities to perform fast iris recognition and matching,
2. a camera for scanning irises,
3. software, which can be rapidly developed using an iris identification SDK with all necessary technologies, algorithms and interfaces included.

Once the software is developed, the system can be scaled up by adding more PCs, cameras and obtaining additional technology licenses.

Neurotechnology offers iris identification technology and SDKs that provide the required performance and reliability.

The technology

VeriEye iris recognition technology is intended for biometric systems developers and integrators. The proprietary technology features:

• Reliability. VeriEye 2.0 algorithm shows excellent performance when tested on all publicly available datasets. Especially good results are achieved on the recent NIST ICE2005 Exp1 database with iris images of intentionally degraded quality (see testing results).
• Speed. VeriEye 2.0 iris enrollment time is less than 0.5 sec. and matching speed is configurable 50,000-150,000 irises per second in 1:N identification mode. To confirm these results with your samples, please try the VeriEye algorithm demo application.
• Uniqueness. The new proprietary iris recognition algorithm is based on original methods that solve the drawbacks and limitations of existing state-of-the-art algorithms.
• Robustness. Eye irises are detected even when the images have obstructions, visual noise and different levels of various illumination noises. Images with narrowed eyelids or eyes that are gazing away eyes are also accepted.
• Simple multi-biometric system integration. Compatibility with fingerprint and facial identification technologies from the same vendor allows the VeriEye algorithm to be used together with other Neurotechnology biometrical algorithms.

The SDK

VeriEye SDK is based on VeriEye iris recognition technology and is intended for biometric systems developers and integrators. It allows rapid development of biometric applications using functionality from the VeriEye algorithm, which ensures high reliability of iris identification, 1:1 and 1:N matching modes and comparison speeds of up to 150,000 irises per second. VeriEye can be easily integrated into the customer's security system. The integrator has complete control over SDK data input and output.

VeriEye SDK supports Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. The following types of SDK are available:

• VeriEye 2.0 Standard SDK is intended for PC-based biometrical application development. It includes Matcher and Extractor components, programming samples, tutorials and software documentation.
• VeriEye 2.0 Extended SDK is intended for biometrical web-based and network application development. It includes all features of Standard SDK. Additionally, the SDK contains sample client applications, tutorials and a ready-to-use matching server.