Integrating Research and Industrial biometrics Strategies (IRIS)

The promise of biometric technologies in offering security through automated person authentication and recognition has meant that increasingly they are seen as important components in the overall approach to security and safety. However, the actual performance of the biometric systems is yet to match this promise.Biometric-based identification of individuals is a research field which has been developing rapidly in recent years both in the UK and internationally. Within the UK, the drivers of the process have largely been Government-led though, of course, initiatives such as the EPSRC Crime Prevention and Detection programme and the DTI/EPSRC Management of Information LINK Programme, have very effectively stimulated research which is helping to maintain the UK's position as a leading player in developing identification technologies. The overall aim of the Network is to bring together the key academic researchers in the UK biometrics field and to develop and strengthen the interface with the industrial base in order to optimise the delivery of biometrics-based technologies to maximise their effectiveness in crime prevention and detection.