Friday, 8 February, 2002, 15:07 GMT

Airport tests passenger eye IDs

The iris is scanned at immigration and matched Heathrow Airport is testing a new hi-tech identity system which examines a passenger's eye, rather than their passport as they go through immigration control.

Heathrow is the first UK airport to carry out a large-scale trial of the iris recognition technology, which was unveiled at the airport on Friday.

The aim is to speed up the movement of passengers through the terminal and detect illegal immigrants.

A total of 2,000 passengers who frequently fly from North America to Heathrow on Virgin and British Airways flights are taking part in the five-month trial.

Unique

Each passenger will have an image of one of their eye's iris stored on computer.

Instead of showing their passport on arrival they will go into a kiosk where in seconds a camera will check that the pattern of their iris matches computer records.

If so a barrier will automatically open.

The trial will test the technology and gauge passenger reaction.

The EyeTicket JetStream iris recognition procedure, developed in the US, is considered the highest accuracy, single factor identification method in the world.

Evan Smith, senior vice president of the EyeTicket Corporation, said this was the culmination of four years' work.

He said: "The iris is much more unique than the fingerprint and is the most unique thing on the outside of the human body.

"We've had a very good early response and a flood of applications.

"We expect the trial to be extremely popular and expect this technology to be eventually taken up at airports throughout the world."

Safe

It is hoped the technology could have future security benefits, with UK airports still on alert following 11 September.

BAA Heathrow's managing director Mike Temple said: "With this trial we hope to establish that iris recognition technology can prove to be a safe, effective and highly accurate means of ensuring passengers on arrival are legitimate entrants to the UK."

The trial was arranged by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Simplifying Passenger Travel Interest Group, which includes airports, airlines, immigration authorities and technological suppliers worldwide.

More "automated iris recognition stations" are planned for New York's JFK airport and Washington's Dulles Airport.

The entire procedure only takes a few seconds and there is no contact with the body or with lasers or other potentially harmful light sources.

Passengers taking part are being asked to carry their passports during the trial period should immigration officials want to check their details.

-- Doreen- the happy to refuse (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), February 08, 2002

Answers

I like the Bush administration, as far as it goes, but today the head of "homeland defense" talked in favor biometric devices as part of special speeded airport passes for those who want to get in an out more quickly. We all know where that will eventually lead.

I am beyond surprise. No shivers anymore, just the perception of a downward hurtle to the complete loss of the few freedoms that remain us. Most people don't even get the concept of freedom anymore.

-- charles (cr@dixienet.com), February 08, 2002.

I'm waiting for pain implants to be installed in our childrens necks at birth. Submit or Buzzzzzzzzzz, pay your taxes or Buzzzzzzzzzz. However, there will always be those who will claw thru their own skin with their fingernails to pluck it out. Then will they say to their masters "Read me the law, is pain the law ?" and they will show the device to the master and declare "Now there is no law !" We are faced today by men who honestly believe that the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few. Therefore, if your like me and I believe most homesteaders are; than you are the few. Now we strive to keep the gift of the Founding Fathers and we are a confused rabble, running in a thousand different directions. Guns, speech, religion, taxes, and injucstices' toll from every corner of the country. Freedom starts with the word NO and somewhere along the line you will speak it. You may pay a high price for it but it will not bother you at all. You may be the one that claws thru their own skin or you may chew off your own arm to escape. At that moment you will understand all those that went before you, every thought, every action, and every reaction. At that moment you will be the farmer on the Concord Bridge, Crockett on the north wall of the Alamo, and Rosa Parks on a bus in Alabama. I'm tired, I have answered the enemies demands with a cannon shot and it will be heard around the world--Better to die in ditches than live in chains !

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), February 09, 2002.

Joel, pretty eloquent. You just handed me a mental image for use in the future. Like when the character portrayed by Robert Redford in 3 days of the Condor was told how it would be, how he would be approached and corraled, probably by a friend in whom he had confidence. The he was handed a gun and told "for that time."

-- charles (cr@dixienet.com), February 10, 2002.