The trend of biometrics has stepped into almost every business sector such as banking, finance, government authentication, law enforcement, the education industry, and other areas. Biometrics has become hugely popular and adopted technology that is used to verify people’s identities for enhanced security purposes. Yet, the uses for biometrics have been extended beyond security. It offers a variety of applications that modifies the way we interact with technology and enhances our daily lives.
Although a lot of people are familiar with a few biometric applications such as fingerprint sensors and facial recognition. However, biometric technology has been expanded to more than that. Other than offering improved security, biometrics can be helpful in healthcare, retail, transportation, and other industries.
In this blog, we will discover five uses for biometrics that have brought positive impacts in various aspects.
What is Biometrics?
Biometrics refers to the use of measurable behavioural and biological attributes to identify people through these characteristics. Some most common biometrics examples include facial features, fingerprints, voice recognition, and eye patterns. For this, the biometrics system captures a person’s features and analyses them to verify their identity and provide them with access to particular solutions.
The biometric system is stepping into a number of sectors such as law enforcement, banking, security, transportation, healthcare, and many other industries. Since it is considered the most precise and secure method as compared to conventional approaches such as PINs, passcodes, keys, and other types of security systems.
Unfortunately, biometric technology can potentially be used for hacking and fraud purposes as well by cybercriminals. Thus, it is crucial to develop clear laws and policies while collecting and storing data for biometrics.
What industries use Biometrics? Top 5
Biometrics is now used far beyond just fingerprints and face recognition to unlock your smartphones. Many industries are now implementing biometrics systems to enhance security and smooth operations.
i. Banking and Finance
Biometric technology is hugely used in the banking and finance sectors for the purpose to detect financial fraud, enhance security, boost user experience, and reduce other potential scams. However, banks and financial companies use biometric features to access a person’s bank account, verify transaction authentication, and prevent identity theft.
ii. Education
Another sector is education where the uses of biometric systems have emerged to ensure the security of the students and improve effectiveness. In this industry, biometric identity verification system is used through facial recognition, fingerprints, and eye scanning for teachers and students identity verification.
iii. Healthcare
In order to ensure the safety and security of the admitted patient in a healthcare facility, biometrics are used. In this industry, the technology includes the uses of fingerprint scanners and face recognition to identify patients and get access to their medical history.
iv. Travel and Transportation
The transportation industry has also integrated the uses for biometrics to streamline operations and procedures. The use of biometrics in this sector in the travel and transportation sector is associated with electronic passports. Through biometrics, the flow of check-ins and migration speeds up and smoothens. Biometrics are used to identify and authenticate passengers during boarding.
v. Retail
Many retailers are significantly relying on biometric technology to enhance their security systems and identify their customers. Therefore, they mostly use facial recognition for this purpose which helps them monitor potential fraudsters. Not only this but facial recognition also allows retailers to promote their products to customers as per their interests and preferences.
Advantages of Biometrics
Biometrics offers numerous benefits during the customer onboarding procedure, which helps in identity verification and authentication. However, some of the advantages of biometrics include the following:
Enhanced Security
Biometrics technology is considered highly secure since it only uses an individual’s unique physical attributes. Therefore, these characteristics cannot be stolen or replicated and used by someone else.
Better Speed
In addition, the biometrics system can identify people more efficiently and quickly than doing it through traditional methods. This is particularly beneficial in high-traffic circumstances such as border crossings and airports.
Cost-Efficient
As compared to traditional identity verification and authentication methods, the use of a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition is more budget-friendly since it reduces the requirement for passwords and tokens to gain access to a service.
More Convenient
Another advantage of biometrics is that it does not require the user to remember complex combinations of passwords or carry keys or ID cards to get access.
Precision
Several uses for biometrics can precisely identify a person’s identity and reduce the risk of fraud and any kind of false alerts.
Challenges of Biometrics Technology
Although biometrics is considered the most accurate method to boost security and identify a user, it may also bring some challenges when implemented within an industry. However, some of these challenges include the following:
Privacy Concerns
Biometrics data is unique to every person because it sensors an individual’s fingerprints and facial patterns, which are very sensitive elements. That’s why, for many users, security is the main concern. Any compromise in security, the biometric data can lead to identity theft or other types of cybercrimes. Therefore, make sure that the biometric data of every individual is kept secure.
Interactivity
In every firm, biometrics are used through different algorithms and data formats, which may make it more challenging to exchange data between systems. Consequently, it can obstruct the acquisition of biometric technology in multiple integrations such as border control and national identity cards.
Reliability
Biometric systems need to be significantly precise and efficient to reduce any potential false alerts such as the biometric data quality, lighting conditions, and changes in a person’s biometric characteristics with time. However, these things should not affect the reliability of the biometric system.
Customer Acceptance
As per a survey by Government Technology survey, almost 20% of users do not trust biometrics technology. Some users may feel hesitant to provide their biometric information to a firm while applying for any product or service because they have privacy concerns. Thus, this is one of the big challenges of biometrics technology.
Final Verdict
So, with the increasing trend of biometrics technology, more businesses are indulging in this system to enhance user experience and provide their customers with boosted security. Although biometrics technology provides numerous benefits such as better security, reduced costs, and better speed etc. however, it may also come with some challenges while implementing biometrics within an organisation. Yet, despite all biometrics problems and solutions, the uses for biometrics are diverse and benefit almost every industry to streamline their operations and enhance customer experience.
