The new Law on Identity Cards recently passed by the National Assembly clearly states that information in the identity card database includes identity information; biometric information including facial photos, fingerprints, irises, DNA, voice; occupation, etc.
Iris is one of the biometric information serving the new citizen identification data that many people are interested in. Some people think that collecting iris is important, especially supporting people who cannot collect fingerprints such as disabled or deformed fingerprints. However, there are also opinions that it is not necessary and complicated in the process of collecting citizen identification data.
So what is iris and why is it used by many countries, including Vietnam, as an identification database for citizen identification?
Biometric devices of US security agencies allow citizens to be identified through iris, face and fingerprints. (Photo: FBI)
Unique structure
According to the biological definition, the iris, in a simple and easy to understand way, is what we often call the black part of the eye. Although it is called the black part, it often has many different colors such as blue, black, brown...
In particular, the structure of the lines on the iris is very complex, consisting of wavy lines that curve from the inside out. These wavy lines form a distinct structure, considered unique to each person (even different between the left and right eyes of a person).
The characteristics of the iris as well as fingerprints can be applied to use as an identification database.
To collect and recognize iris (Iris Recognition) requires a sensor with a camera and infrared light.
Infrared rays help the camera accurately record the lines on each person's iris, even if the person is wearing contact lenses or glasses. The iris image will be captured and stored encrypted on the device.
And to recognize irises on a database also requires specialized equipment, from simple as a smartphone to complex as a security scanner.
Nowadays, iris security technology has become popular and appears in many aspects of life. The simplest is iris recognition on some smartphones, accessing websites that require high security, and entering facilities that require security.
Many countries around the world have also applied this technology to identify citizens, authenticate passports, and fill in authentication information through online portals.
Each person's iris structure is unique and remains largely unchanged over time.
Security trends of the future
According to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), iris is one of three identification data besides fingerprints and faces used by the US in the Future Identification System (NGI) to manage citizen data. In which, iris recognition technology is considered to be more secure than fingerprints.
This is because the human iris remains almost unchanged from the time it is formed at 10 months of age until adulthood. The probability of two irises being exactly the same is almost impossible. Therefore, the iris has a stable safety and is not confusing.
Iris recognition technology can be easily integrated into existing security systems or operated as a standalone device. Iris scans are not as vulnerable to theft, loss or intrusion as fingerprints.
In terms of security, iris recognition is fast, accurate and contactless like fingerprints, providing safety for users..., especially in the event of an infectious disease outbreak.
Iris scanning technology has appeared on Samsung's high-end smartphones since 2016 with the Galaxy Note 7 series.
However, according to medical experts, the iris cannot be changed, but it can still be damaged due to pathological causes or external impacts of eye trauma; intraocular hemorrhage; inflammatory edema due to uveitis, iritis; heterochromic iritis; glaucoma with prolonged use of eye drops; benign and malignant tumors of the iris; diabetes, central retinal vein occlusion...
Therefore, iris should only be used as one of the methods of data collection and citizen identity verification.
Tra Khanh (Synthesis)
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