Boarding Pass Authentication

Security within airport terminals is a high profile focus of governments and security agencies around the world. Being able to verify and positively link a specific boarding pass to an individual is one method being deployed to add additional levels of security. The issue is that once a passenger is ticketed and through security, they can easily switch tickets and travel to destinations where they may be on a “no-fly list”. For example, a passenger may be able to fly to domestic locations but banned for international flights. They can swap their domestic ticket with an international ticket inside the terminal and proceed to the unauthorized destination. Biometrics is used to link boarding passes with the actual individual so the swapping of boarding passes can no longer take place.

Bioscrypt develops advanced identification solutions using breakthrough 3D face recognition technology. Through innovations in 3D data capturing and processing capabilities, these systems permit industry-leading accuracy in real-time facial recognition and tracking. Bioscrypt biometrics offer the advantages of fast throughput through verification control points making this solution well suited for busy and congested airport environments.

Advantages

Bioscrypt's VisionAccess facial recognition technology utilizes distinctive features of the face to perform authentication. The 3D Images are captured in real time and focus on features where rigid tissue or bone is most apparent and less likely to change over time, which includes the eye socket curvature, nose, chin, etc. The following are some of the significant advantages that this technology enables.

• Introduces depth as a 3rd axis of measurement allowing facial angles and curves to be measured on a sub-millimeter scale.
• Not affected by lighting conditions and may even be used in darkness.
• Robust to different view angles and has the potential to recognize a subject at near 30 degrees.
• Ability to perform verification matching in milliseconds.

The points above are very important for system flexibility leading to ease of use for users of the technology. For any biometric technology there are several aspects that are required of the solution for a successful deployment. These factors include a system that requires minimal cooperation from the subject, allows for flexibility in positioning and ambient conditions, has a high level of accuracy, and is ergonomically designed to keep people moving quickly through secured areas.

VisionAccess 3D facial recognition technology combines high accuracy with minimal user cooperation. The technology utilizes over 40,000 points of data to create a biometric template that is unique to each individual providing for the most precise matching capabilities. The recognition process is performed extremely fast; positive verification of an individual can be accomplished in less then 1 second. The high rate of accuracy and speed characteristics of the Bioscrypt solution is unprecedented and perfectly suited for passenger tracking though an airport and boarding pass security programs.

Solutions

Boarding Pass Authentication

This solution is best illustrated though an example of how Bioscrypt biometrics operate in a secured boarding pass environment.

A traveler walks up the ticket counter where a 3D enrollment camera resides. As part of the check-in process a 3D Facial template is created. The template is instantly created and linked to the bar code or magnetic stripe on the traveler's boarding pass.

Once the traveler is at the gate they will need to be verified as having access to the international or domestic gate areas. As the passenger moves through the checkpoint and hands the boarding pass over for scanning they will glance into a face reader to verify they are the rightful possessor of the boarding pass. If there is a match between the person at the reader with the stored template linked to the boarding pass they will be able to continue to their destination.

Having the ability to positively link a traveler's identity to a boarding pass with a biometric solves several issues. Swapping boarding passes, once past security, is a concern for overall flight safety. Someone that is a high risk for international flights may not raise the same red flags when checking in for domestic flights depending on the originating country. Once checked in and past security they can swap tickets with someone on a high security alert international flight.

With a biometric linked to the boarding pass, as described in the example, this type of action would be eliminated. Access to gate areas would be denied if the person holding the ticket does not match the biometric linked with the pass.