Biometric Sensors: Advantages and Disadvantages

This page outlines the pros and cons of biometric sensors.

Definition: “Biometrics” refers to the field of body measurements and related calculations. A biometric sensor is a transducer that converts a person’s biometric characteristics (e.g., fingerprint, face, voice) into an electrical signal. These sensors are used in a wide array of applications, including fingerprint authentication, voice recognition, facial recognition, and retinal scanning.

Figure 1: Biometric Identification Process

Figure 1 illustrates the biometric identification process for fingerprints. It consists of three main stages: fingerprint scanning, matching, and identification.

A common application is in mobile phones, where biometric sensors allow only authorized users to unlock the device. Initially, samples of authorized individuals are stored. Later, the user simply places their finger on the sensor, and if the scanned pattern matches a stored sample, the phone unlocks.

Advantages of Biometric Sensors

The following are the advantages of using biometric sensors:

• Authentication: They are widely used in mobile phones to allow only authenticated persons to use the device.
• High Security: Biometrics offer a high level of security, as the individual must be physically present for identification.
• Ease of Use: It’s a very simple method, eliminating the need to remember passwords or PIN codes.
• Criminal Identification: Biometrics can aid in identifying criminals and are used in credit cards, door locks, ATMs, airport security, border controls, and database access.
• Reliability: It is considered a reliable technology.

Disadvantages of Biometric Sensors

The following are the disadvantages of using biometric sensors:

• Fraud Potential: There is a possibility of fraud by presenting fake image patterns to sensor devices. Precautions must be taken to avoid such incidents.
• Vendor Compliance: Vendors must adhere to biometric processes very accurately, and proper training is essential.
• False Rates: The method can have higher false rates if live biometric samples are not presented properly.
• Cultural Issues: Various cultural issues exist in countries such as Japan and North America.
• Contextual Limitations: Voice recognition is not feasible in environments requiring silence, and facial recognition performs poorly in low-light conditions.