The Use of Biometric Identification by Universities

No longer existing solely in the realm of science fiction or spy fantasies, biometrics has emerged as a growing trend in the world. This applies not only to our work and private lives, but to our educational institutions as well. Biometrics has taken hold in many of our colleges and universities, used alone, or more often with, student identification cards. Some have used biometrics for years, and others are beginning to implement their own systems.

The University of Georgia:
The University of Georgia has implemented hand sensors, fingerprint scanners for employees and students. The University of Georgia was one of the first universities to use biometric technology, and since 1974 has used it mostly in the dining halls.

The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University:
The Biodesign Institute uses retinal scans to identify students and employees who want to use the institute on the weekends. The retinal scan they use checks 240 points in the eye and the entrant must be approved by the device.

Johnson & Wales University at Denver:
They have recently installed locks on their dormitory doors that are controlled by a hand-geometry reader.

The University of New Hampshire:
They have installed a hand-reading system in their dining halls that makes students scan their ID card and verify their identity with the hand scan. They also instituted a hand scanning system in their dining hall to restrict employee access, eliminate the need for keys, and minimize theft as there are no keys to be stolen or accidentally lost.

Rutgers University:
Rutgers has installed fingerprint-scanning devices in the science department on the computers attached to the lab equipment.

The University of California at Santa Barbara: UCSB recently installed an iris-scanning system. They installed the system to control access to a "clean room" in a research center that specializes in semiconductors.

Keene State College:
They recently implemented a hand reading system into their identification system for students.

These are a handful of schools that are slowly moving towards Biometric Identification, and the trend will most likely continue. Despite bugs like weak fingerprints (where a person whose hands are washed a lot brings up a weak scan in a fingerprint or hand reading system) high costs, and concerns that as soon as they buy a system it will be outdated, many schools will most likely continue to move in the direction of biometric identification technology.