How Biometrics Work

Templates, Enrollment, and Matching

In general, biometric systems collect a sample of a physiological or behavioral characteristic, then, utilizing an algorithm, translate the sample into a unique template. Depending upon how the system is implemented, the sample may be stored centrally in a database in order to recreate the template again at a later time; however, on an ongoing basis, only the template is used to interact with the system. Individuals are initially enrolled into a biometric system, and can subsequently be matched against previously collected biometric templates.

A major concern when dealing with biometric systems is failure to enroll (FTE), which may be caused by a number of factors. For example, fingerprints may difficult to capture for individuals who are involved in highly manual labor, or whose prints are worn due to aging. When a security system is designed, fallback measures must be considered in order to deal with individuals who cannot be enrolled for various reasons.

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