Thread Subject: Re: Biometric Language Discussion

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From: Randy Marsden
Date: Tue, Jun 05 2007 12:25 PM

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about it:

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Biometrics (ancient Greek: bios ="life", metron ="measure") is the study of
methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic
physical or behavioral traits.

In information technology, biometric authentication refers to technologies
that measure and analyze human physical and behavioral characteristics for
authentication purposes. Examples of physical (or physiological or
biometric) characteristics include fingerprints, eye retinas and irises,
facial patterns and hand measurements, while examples of mostly behavioural
characteristics include signature, gait and typing patterns. All behavioral
biometric characteristics have a physiological component, and, to a lesser
degree, physical biometric characteristics have a behavioral element.
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I believe the technically correct word we should use it still Biometrics
(defined as "the measurement of human physical traits"). The correct term
related to security identification is "Biometric Authentication". Even
though many think of Biometrics as only security-related, the generic term
is broader than that. But I can see where there is confusion.

What about using Biometric as an adverb such as: "Biometric Input"?


------------------------------------------------
Randy Marsden, P.Eng.
President & CEO, Madentec Limited
ATIA Global Policy Chair

780-450-8926 ext. 223
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =


> From: "Gregg Vanderheiden" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Reply-To: "TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 10:17:19 -0500
> To: "'TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee'"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: Re: [teitac-hardware] Biometric Language Discussion
>
> Hmmmmm
>
>
> Looks like we need a good alternate term......
>
> Looking for a term that means "requires presence of particular body parts".
>
>
> Gregg
> -- ------------------------------
> Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D.
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>> [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of
>> Jim Tobias
>> Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 7:07 PM
>> To: 'TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee'
>> Subject: Re: [teitac-hardware] Biometric Language Discussion
>>
>> I agree with Gregg here: although a capacitive switch is
>> technically "biometric" it's not what we mean elsewhere when
>> we refer to biometric. I'd rather reserve that word for the
>> authentication and security type devices: retina scans,
>> finferprint readers, etc. We could call the other stuff
>> "non-mechanically operated physical controls" to distinguish
>> them from the controls covered in 2.2.A (force requirements,
>> tactile discernability, etc.). Putting the two categories
>> together may be technically defensible and clear to us, but
>> it will cause confusion among the lucky thousands heretofore
>> ignorant of our efforts.
>>
>> ***
>> Jim Tobias
>> Inclusive Technologies
>> +1.732.441.0831 v/tty
>> +1.908.907.2387 mobile
>> skype jimtobias
>>
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Gregg Vanderheiden [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ]
>>> Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 5:08 PM
>>> To: 'TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee'
>>> Subject: Re: [teitac-hardware] Biometric Language Discussion
>>>
>>> We need to separate Authentication functions of biometrics
>> from things
>>> like
>>> touch screens. I personally would never call a capacitive
>>> touchscreen a
>>> biometric device but some people do. So we need to separate those
>>> types of devices (heat activated switches, capacitive switches,
>>> gesture recognition devices, etc) from biometric ID.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Gregg
>>> -- ------------------------------
>>> Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>>>> [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf
>>> Of Debbie
>>>> Cook
>>>> Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 2:08 PM
>>>> To: TEITAC desktop/portable (hardware) subcommittee
>>>> Subject: Re: [teitac-hardware] Biometric Language Discussion
>>>>
>>>> I believe that control and activation are the only elements
>>> that apply
>>>> to biometrics and covered E&IT. So I think they are
>>> essential to the
>>>> definition. Biometric forms of identification other than for
>>>> activation are not part of operating E&IT. So, I might drop
>>> the notion
>>>> of identification and assume that it is a subset of activation.
>>>>
>>>> Possible wording:
>>>> When biometric forms of activation or control are used, an
>>> alternative
>>>> form of activation or control, which does not require the user to
>>>> possess particular biological characteristics, shall also
>>> be provided.
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
>>>> To: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
>>>> Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 8:57 AM
>>>> Subject: [teitac-hardware] Biometric Language Discussion
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On the con-call today, we started discussion on touch
>>> controls there
>>>> was split relative to biometric identification versus biometric
>>>> controls so that touch capacitive controls are considered
>>> part of 508
>>>> and how they impact the end-user.
>>>>
>>>> The language for 1194.25(d) and 1194.26(c) is the same and is as
>>>> follows:
>>>>
>>>> When biometric forms of user identification or control
>> are used, an
>>>> alternative form of identification or activation, which does not
>>>> require the user to possess particular biological
>> characteristics,
>>>> shall also be provided.
>>>>
>>>> The proposal is to remove the "or control" and "or activation"
>>>> sections.
>>>> This changes the language to focus on the Biometric
>> identification
>>>> element. The control element would then need to be
>> integrated into
>>>> the overall controls discussion.
>>>>
>>>> Thus, the new language would be:
>>>>
>>>> When biometric forms of user identification are used, an
>>> alternative
>>>> form of identification, which does not require the user
>> to possess
>>>> particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.
>>>>
>>>> Please comment and discuss...
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> Rob
>>>>
>>>> Rob Nerhood | Experience Design Group | Ergonomics
>>> Engineer Dell,
>>>> Inc. | One Dell Way | Round Rock, Texas 78682 - 7000 direct
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> ------------------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>

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