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About the Biometrics - Interoperability, Quality,
& Access

IDMS Program

Standards & Metrics

Identity Systems Research

Global eID

 

 

 

 

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Date Created: 28-Aug-2007
Last Date Modified: 07-Feb-2008
IDMS Program Webmaster

Standards

The standards work for the biometrics project has concentrated on interoperable biometric standards in support of Personal Identity Verification (PIV). As part of the PIV work the biometrics project has been involved with publishing the NIST SP 800-76 documents and various levels of involvement with INCITS 378 - Minutiae Template Standard; INCITS 423.2 - Minutiae Conformance Testing; ISO 19795-4 – Interoperability Performance Testing Standard; and ISO/IEC 19794-2 – Compact Card Template.

The Personal Identity Verification standard for Federal Employees and Contractors, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 201), was developed to establish standards for identity credentials. The Biometric Data Specification for PIV (SP 800-76-1) is a companion document to FIPS 201 and describes technical acquisition and formatting specifications for the biometric credentials of the PIV system. The primary design objective behind these particular specifications is for high performance with universal interoperability.

MINEX is the testing mechanism being used to evaluate the ability of SDKs using the INCITS 378 interoperable minutiae template to meet the performance specifications outlined in SP800-76-1.  MINEX II testing is being developed as a method to evaluate/support the use of match-on-card technology as part of PIV.

Activity #1: Biometric Match-on-Card Evaluation

Complete the MINEX II evaluation of core algorithmic efficacy and efficiency of fingerprint matching algorithms running on ISO/IEC 7816 smartcards.   The algorithms accept ISO/IEC 19794-2 minutiae templates derived from INCITS 378:2004 parents.  The protocol will be progressed as an ISO standard.

Timeline

Phase I was completed October 14, 2007.  This returned an initial assessment of accuracy and speed to the suppliers.  This activity was based on the MINEX II evaluation protocol developed May to August, 2007.

Phase II commenced October 22, 2007.  The second phase will be a larger scale, cross-supplier interoperability trial resulting in a NIST IR publication of measurements and conclusions.  This is scheduled for completion in December 2007.

A Phase III evaluation may be initiated in response either to demand from industry or because accuracy levels warrant further development.

The evaluation plan will be submitted as US contribution to the proposed ISO/IEC 19795 – Biometric Performance Testing and Reporting – Part 8: Match-on-Card Testing standard expected to commence February 2008.

Deliverables

  • Publication of the MINEX II, Phase II evaluation plan.

  • Publication of a NIST IR containing full documentation of the MINEX II Phase I and II activities.

  • Contribution of MINEX II test evaluation toward base draft of ISO/IEC 19795-8.

Activity #2:  Biometric Data, Fusion, and Quality Standard 

The work is directed at standards in three related domains:  interoperable biometric data, multimodal and multisystem fusion, and biometric data quality.  The main thrust of this effort is contribution to biometric standards in three areas:
  • Toward the biometric data interchange standard, ISO/IEC 19794, many parts of which are now under active revision (face, finger, iris), and to which new parts are being added (speaker, DNA).

  • On the multipart biometric sample quality standard, ISO/IEC 29794, now under development in order to ensure quality measurement fulfills its roles in improving biometric system accuracy and efficiency during the capture process (as a control-loop variable to initiate reacquisition), in database maintenance (sample update), in enterprise wide quality-assurance surveying, and in invocation of quality-directed processing of samples. Quality measurement algorithms are increasingly deployed in operational biometric systems: US-VISIT, PIV, and EU VIS. Each mandate the measurement and reporting of quality scores of captured images.

Timeline

The development of ISO/IEC 19794 and ISO/IEC 29794 is driven by JTC 1 SC 37 timelines for the development of Biometric Data Format and Biometric Quality Standards.

Deliverables

  • Technical contributions to ISO/IEC 19794 Biometric Data Interchange Format parts 2(Minutia), 4(Finger Image), 5(Face Image), 6(Iris Image), 13(Speaker Data) , and 14(DNA Data).

  • Technical contributions to revision ISO/IEC 29794 Biometric Sample Quality parts 1(Framework), 4(Finger Image), and 5(Face Image).

  • International multipart Biometric Data Interchange Format.

  • International multipart Biometric Sample Quality Standard (ISO/IEC 29794) that will establish an interoperable way for storing and exchanging quality scores.

Activity #3:  Development of Compact Iris Biometric Data Records

In collaboration with industry, develop a test protocol for iris interoperability testing, and then conduct the test.  This activity is directed at support of the interoperable data formats of ISO/IEC 19794-6:2005 Iris Interchange Format.  The study will explore the extent to which JPEG and JPEG 2000 compression can be applied to the rectilinear and polar representations of iris images, for the purpose of determining whether such data is viable as smart card-based biometric identifier.

Timeline

The development of the test protocol and the execution of the test itself is driven by JTC 1 SC 37 timelines for the revision of ISO/IEC 19794-6.  The test protocol should be completed by December 2007.  The test itself will commence in early 2008.  A final report will be prepared in advance of the July 2008 meeting of SC 37.

Deliverables

  • Provisional government-industry workshop to develop the evaluation plan.

  • Publication of the Compact Iris evaluation plan.

  • Publication of a NIST IR containing full documentation of the Compact Iris activity.

Activity #4:  Establish Face Quality Reference Dataset  

In collaboration with industry, develop a data collection protocol for collection of faces with specific defects, and then conduct the data collection.  This activity is directed at support of the ISO/IEC 29794-5 Face Image Quality, and ISO/IEC 29109-5 Face Image Conformance.  The study will explore the extent to which each factor affects performance of face recognition algorithms and hence face image quality. This activity supports development and testing of automated face acquisition systems used in credential issuance systems (e.g. e-passport or PIV).

Timeline

The data collection protocol should be completed by January 2008.  The data collection will commence in March 2008.  A final report on the properties and availability of the dataset will be prepared in advance of the January 2009 meeting of SC 37.

Deliverables

  • Plan dedicated data acquisition activity.

  • Execute data collection.

  • Publication of a NIST IR containing full documentation of the data collection activity.

  • Publication of face standard reference data set.

Activity #5: Pictograms, Icons and Graphics for Fingerprint Systems

As identified by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC37 in their new work item proposal, with the rapid proliferation of biometric systems used by the general public in the near future, users may be unfamiliar with particular implementations and they may not understand the local language in which instructions for use are described. It is important that the symbols used have consistent significance in all cultures and do not cause offence. Simple, clear and recognizable symbols are particularly important for those with physical or learning disabilities. A consistent international standard set of pictograms, icons and symbols should reduce the difficulty the wider community experience in finding and using biometric systems. This effort addresses the Department of Homeland Security's desire to provide guidance and a submission to the new work item proposal and call by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC37.

Timeline

This work is underway currently, and will continue throughout FY 2008.

Project Contacts

Ms. Elham Tabassi
elham.tabassi (at) nist.gov
T: (301) 975-5292

Ms. Mary Theofanos
mary.theofanos (at) nist.gov
T: (301) 975-5889

 

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