Multi-model biometric system developed by IIT-K

Developing technology for country's security has become a thrust area for IIT-Kanpur which has designed a multi-model biometric system and wants to set up a centre for national security.

The IIT has already developed the prototype of such biometric equipment which can recognise people based upon five intrinsic physical traits. These traits are face, iris, ear, palm and fingerprint.

"This is part of our work on security. We want to set up a centre for national security which would be a resource centre for training of officers of agencies dealing with security. This will work on testing of equipment and technology development," its director Prof Sanjay Dhade said.

The multi-model biometric system can also be used for proper implementation of the government's welfare schemes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Public Distribution System schemes as monitoring of the beneficiaries could be more smooth, Prof Falguni Gupta, who is involved in the biometric project, said.

"The proto-model is ready. We have tested the technology in controlled environment. Now this has to be tested for larger audience," he said. The geometry of face, iris, ear and palm can be reduced by this technology to extract critical features which can be used for matching for recognition, he said.

The institute has also started an Internet security centre which would develop technology for checking cyber crime.

"The Internet security centre will study all aspects of cyber crime, including hacking. It can develop technology to make the system robust," Gupta said.

The IIT had earlier submitted a proposal to the ministry of home affairs for setting up of the national security centre. However, it did not get positive response as the MHA does not have much provision for financing research.

The institute has now decided to approach different ministries, including ministry of information technology, science and technology and HRD for undertaking the research work for security purposes.

The institute also wants to start a separate social survey division to study the issues of insurgency.

The aim of the study is to find out what modification is required to the government's welfare policies to address such issues.