Biometric ConsortiumThe concept of biometrics has caught up with many in the contemporary scenario. But quite contrary to what many think, biometrics is not a novel phenomenon. It has been there for quite some time. The biometric consortium supports this fact. Dating back to 1992, the consortium is an important benchmark in the field of biometrics. For those who don't know, the biometric consortium is a consortia sponsored by the U.S. government. National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) together created the consortium. The consortium is chaired together by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As the very name suggests this body is concerned with everything related to biometrics. As matter of fact the BC serves as the focal point of research, development, testing, evaluation and application of biometric-based personal authentication technology for the US government. The consortium organizes several events on a periodic basis. However it is the biometric consortium conference that is the main event. The conference is organized on an annual basis during fall. The history of the consortium dates back to 1992 when it came together for the first time with Dr. Benincasa as the chairperson. The consortium aims at providing a forum for exchange of information on biometric technology. This forum facilitates the interaction between the industry, government and the academia on the subject. In 1994 the consortium had its chair and vice chair namely Dr. Campbell and Ms. Alyea respectively. In December 1995, the Biometric Consortium's charter got approval from the Facilities Protection Committee. The facilities protection committee is a committee that is headed by the Security Policy Board via the Security Policy Forum. In turn the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs heads the security policy board. Like every other group or organization, the BC too has its own purpose and objectives to achieve. There are various objectives of the consortium but it primarily aims at serving as a focal point of research, development and evaluation of technology based on biometrics. The intent is to allow various groups with an interest in biometrics to come together on a common platform. Other than offering a platform for exchange, the consortium also aims at encouraging the use and acceptance of biometrics in several key areas. Various aspects pertaining to the use of this technology such as maximizing performance and minimizing costs are also considered by the consortium. Coordinating technological concerns and performance related issues, is another task that is performed by the consortium. There are several other objectives that the biometric consortium aims to fulfill. These include promoting the science of biometrics, creating standards databases, minimizing costs, and establishing increased interaction between the government and the commercial sector. |