Biometrics-based security techniques - identification and verification using human characteristics and behavioural traits such as fingerprint and iris recognition - are playing an increasingly important role in securing information systems and physical assets, both in government and industrial contexts, especially in the aftermath of recent terrorist attacks, identity theft and internet-based fraud. There will be a long-term need for expert professionals trained to a high level in order to meet the rising market demand.

Research in biometrics has been affected by the lack of assessment tools and in particular the limited availability of public databases. Indeed accuracy evaluation of biometric algorithms is highly related to measuring statistics of errors on databases, which should be as large as possible. But, acquiring databases is very costly and constrained by data privacy rules. Moreover evaluation on proprietary databases does not allow any comparison between different algorithms. There is therefore a need of ressources for improving research innovation and education in the biometric domain.

The major role of "Association BioSecure” (BioSecure Foundation) is to maintain and distribute the major outcomes of the BioSecure FP6 Network of Excellence that lasted from June 2004 to September 2007.

It will provide to the biometric R&D community, resources such as:

• Evaluation platforms including databases, reference systems (baseline algorithms), assessment protocols for a variety of well-established modalities (face, on-line signature, fingerprints, hand shape, iris).

• Educational material (repository of texts and presentations related to different assets of biometrics)

• Handbook on Standards providing updated information on standardisation activities

Access to these resources is restricted to the members of the Association (see how to join).

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- Part of data are available. More information here.

- Next general assembly will take place in conjonction with bioID MultiComm'09 - september 16-18, 2009 in Madrid

- The new version of the iris reference system OSIRIS is available. In this second version, the segmentation module has been greatly improved. The circular Hough transform with an active contour approach is used to localize the iris and pupil.

- The book about BioSecure Evaluation Framework has been available since April 2009: Guide to Biometric Reference Systems and Performance Evaluation by D. Petrovska-Delacretaz, G. Chollet and B. Dorizzi.

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