Biometrics specialist AOptix Technologies, Inc. said it backed a greater use of iris recognition to authenticate passengers on public transport, especially air travel.

Critics of biometrics security systems say the devices and their data capture capabilities threaten civil liberties and can be subject to abuse.

AOptix said that, as an alternative to patdowns and full body scans, iris recognition will reduce waiting time at airports and help ease the anxiety associated with the security screening process.

"The traveling public is telling us that they would prefer a quick, accurate and non-invasive biometric authentication process as an alternative to full body scans or pat-downs," said Joseph Pritikin, director of Product Marketing at AOptix.

By securely processing registered travelers with minimal effort, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration could spend "more time on passengers who are unknown and thereby pose a greater threat."

The notion of a registered traveler isn't new to domestic travel. Willing individuals register biographic information, submit to a background check and are enrolled with a biometric identifier that can be used at a later date to verify their identity as they are expedited through the typical security screening process.

The first major push into registered traveler programs relied on last-generation biometric systems that were very difficult to use and error prone. AOptix says its InSight iris recognition system is fast, effortless and accurate.

Operating at a distance of about 3 feet, the InSight can capture a very high-quality picture of an iris in less than 2 seconds. Travelers sit or stand in a large capture zone, face the device and open their eyes. With InSight, ease-of-use comes with no compromises: Iris recognition is now accepted as the most accurate of all biometric modalities.

Taking merely 5 percent of the time for typical full body scan or manual patdown, an InSight-based solution that conclusively authenticates travelers at security screening checkpoints could improve the overall level of security with minimal impact on traveler wait times and frustration.

AOptix has several immigration and border control trials in place where iris recognition is being used for identifying and authenticating travelers in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Middle East.

AOptix Technologies, a privately funded company, has headquarters in Campbell, Calif.

Although support for iris recognition is growing among security industries alongside a perceived potential for global business generation for new machines, biometrics are already in commercial use -- and not just to beat terrorism.

Walt Disney World uses biometrics to ensure visitor tickets aren't abused.

The biometrics market has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry worldwide. German biometrics business grew from about $15 million in 2004 to more than $400 million last year.

Brazil's government introduced biometrics for the national identity card and passport. Critics say the system can be open to abuse in the absence of good governance and full public accountability, with potential irreversible damage to the social, financial and medical status of the owners of affected biometrics data.

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