M.Tech. (Information technology) / This research is concerned with establishing the causes for the slow adoption of biometric authentication in the South African banking sector and constitutes exploratory research. It looks at the widely accepted means of authentication and delves deeper into why these modes may not be sufficient to protect sensitive data. The scope of the research is limited to the banking sector only. The first sections of the study establish what the biometric authentication norms are amongst international banking institutions. This is then followed by an environmental study of the South African approach-to biometric authentication. Owing to the limited number of banks in South Africa compared to developed countries, the study is limited to the four major banking institutions in.South Africa, namely ABSA, Standard Bank, Nedbank and First National Bank. An online survey was used to g·ather the required data for analysis. The general approach adopted to investigate the extent to which biometric authentication is used by the said four banks was to first measure the respondents' knowledge of biometrics and to establish the level of exposure the respondents had to the said technology. The next step was then to establish the extent to which the participating banks had investigated the use of biometric authentication. This was followed by consideration of the current use of biometric authentication and lastly, the future use and user perceptions regarding various aspects of biometric authentication in the financial services sector. A matrix that identifies the factors perceived to be impacting the adoption of biometric authentication concludes the last chapter on user perception.

Ph.D. (Computer Science) / The introduction of new portable sensors that monitor physiological systems in the human body has allowed quality of life and medical diagnostic applications to be taken directly to the user, without the constraints of physical space or inconvenience. The potential of these sensors in the domain of authentication and identi cation is becoming more feasible each day and current research in these biometric systems show a great deal of promise. Novel biometric systems are being introduced that use biological signals (also known as biosignals) in the human body captured by these sensors (such as brain waves or heart rate) as the core unique attribute. The study builds on the proliferation of these sensors and proposes an interoperable model called CoBI, which allows individual or multi-factor authentication and identi cation to take place. The model provides a platform for any viable biosignal that can be used for the purposes of identi cation and authentication, by providing pluggable sensor and signal processing components. These components can then convert biosignals into a common format, a feature vector consisting of estimated autoregressive (AR) coe cients. Once they are in a common format they can then be merged together to form a consolidated feature vector using feature fusion. This consolidated feature vector can then be persisted during enrolment or passed further for matching using classi cation techniques, such as K-Nearest Neighbour. The results, from the comprehensive benchmark performed (called BAMBI) on an implemented version of the model (called CaNViS), have shown that biological signals that contain cardiac and neurological components (ie. from an electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG), respectively) can be captured, processed, consolidated and classi ed using the CoBI model successfully. By utilising the correct AR model order during feature estimation for the cardiac and neurological components, along with the appropriate classi er for matching, the biometric system yields nominal results for authentication and identi cation in access control environments.

Behavioural biometrics are unique non-physical human characteristics that can be used to distinguish one person from another. One such characteristic, which belongs to the Gait Biometric, is the footstep Ground Reaction Force (GRF), the temporal signature of the force exerted by the ground back on the foot through the course of a footstep. This is a biometric for which the computational power required for practical applications in a security setting has only recently become available. In spite of this, there are still barriers to deployment in a practical setting, including large research gaps concerning the effect of footwear and stepping speed on footstep GRF-based person recognition. In this thesis we devised an experiment to address these research gaps, while also expanding upon the biometric system research presented in previous GRF recognition studies. To assess the effect of footwear on recognition performance we proposed the analysis of a dataset containing samples for two different types of running shoes. While, with regards to stepping speed, we set out to demonstrate that normalizing for step duration will mitigate speed variation biases and improve GRF recognition performance; this included the development of two novel machine learning-based temporal normalization techniques: Localized Least Squares Regression (LLSR) and Localized Least Squares Regression with Dynamic Time Warping (LLSRDTW). Moreover, building upon previous research, biometric system analysis was done over four feature extractors, seven normalizers, and five different classifiers, allowing us to indirectly compare the GRF recognition results for biometric system configurations that had never before been directly compared. The results achieved for the aforementioned experiment were generally in line with our initial assumptions. Comparing biometrics systems trained and tested with the same footwear against those trained and tested with different footwear, we found an average decrease in recognition performance of about 50%. While, performing LLSRDTW step duration normalization on the data led to a 14-15% improvement in recognition performance over its non-normalized equivalent in our two most stable feature spaces. Examining our biometric system configurations we found that a Wavelet Packet Decomposition-based feature extractor produced our best feature space results with an EER average of about 2.6%, while the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) classifier performed best of the classifiers, about 19% better than any of the others. Finally, while not the intended purpose of our research, the work in this thesis was presented such that it may form a foundation upon which future classification problems could be approached in a wide range of alternative domains. / Graduate / 0800 / 0544 / jericmason@gmail.com

In the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Annual Report of 2011/2012 it is stated that there were more than 15 million social grants paid out to needy beneficiaries of which 10 927 731 were Child Support Grants. A major challenge that is continually being addressed is the management and administration of these grants. In particular, the focus is on service delivery and zero tolerance to fraud and corruption. SASSA has made various attempts to address these issues, such as the rollout of biometric smart cards in 2012. This research endeavour attempts to discover whether a framework can be designed where necessary factors are taken into consideration to provide for an efficient social grant application and delivery process that uses biometrics. The framework aims to suggest improvements in the use of biometrics for the social grants. Seeing that biometrics in this case is used as a technology to improve a system involving humans, this study followed a Design Science approach and made use of a case study to collect the data required for the study. Literature studies reviewed the fields of social grants and biometrics. The challenges and lessons learnt from current implementations of social grants and biometrics within the South African context and further abroad were also relevant for the study. The framework that resulted from the above was evaluated for validity and applicability after which a modified framework is presented. The research concludes with specific implementation guidelines as well as areas for future research.

The rapid advance of information technology has allowed for a rise in the use of biometric markers to automatically track the identity of individuals. Iris biometrics has emerged as one of the most reliable and accurate systems when dealing with cooperating subjects, however, challenges arise when attempting to minimize the amount of intrusion when examining subjects. Allowing for more flexibility in data capture settings will introduce differences in the iris texture due to changes in ambient light, which may negatively impact recognition results. This research examines the feasibility of using 3D software to synthetically dilate the pupils of existing iris images to more closely match the size of a target image. Methods are developed first to evaluate the compatibility of synthetic images with iris identification software, and then to examine what specific areas of the iris texture differ between synthetic and real images. Results show synthetic images are found to be compatible with the recognition process and have the potential to improve performance.

Yes / Biometric of Intent (BoI) is a Computer Vision (CV) automation, using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, which presents a new approach that extends the reach of the classic biometric identification process. It provides an efficient mechanism which deters the threats raised by unknown individuals who have deceitful intentions and who aim to deploy unlawful operations such as terrorist attacks. In this context, our proposed BoI model is based on a framework constructed upon an automated machine learning facial expression analysis system which can assist law enforcement agencies who intend to deploy a systematic preventive security approach that aims to reduce the risk of potential unlawful attacks by rogue individuals through the evaluation of their emotional state in relation to their malicious intent.

No description available.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Today, there is no way to ensure that the personnel working within the cockpit of an aircraft in flight are authorized to be there. The primary goal of this thesis is to propose a hypothetical design for the use of a nonintrusive mechanism on the flight deck of an aircraft to provide continuous or periodic authentication of authorized aircraft personnel. The mechanism should answer questions such as: "Is the person who is flying the plane actually the person who they say they are?" and "Is the correct person in control of the aircraft throughout the whole flight segment?" We will investigate biometrics as a possible security mechanism. In this thesis, various biometric methods are examined and their application in the flight deck is shown. Studies that have been conducted on real biometric devices are examined and their results are reported. Also examined are the current practices and procedures that take place in the flight deck, so that the proposed designs can be understood to not interfere with current activities therein. Two biometric solutions (i.e. proposed designs) to provide continuous or periodic authentication of authorized personnel in the flight deck are introduced. The proposed designs are general and can be used with different types of biometric device(s), and can be extended to include multi-biometrics. / Naval Postgraduate School author (civilian).

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / This thesis research examines the emergence of surveillance and biometrics technologies as a sensible baseline for building a ubiquitous surveillance testbed for the Naval Postgraduate School. This thesis also defines what ubiquitous surveillance is, employs biometric applications and technical strategies to build a working testbed, and addresses developmental issues surrounding the hypothesis for a ubiquitous surveillance testbed. The authors conducted several evaluations of the testbed using different scenarios and recommend emerging biometric and surveillance technologies to promote the maturation of the testbed into a premier ubiquitous habitat. / Lieutenant, United States Navy / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Resumo: O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a influência de afecções testiculares sobre as características biométricas, morfométricas e seminais em touros. Utilizou-se 56 touros da raça Nelore, pesando entre 420 e 600 kg e com idade entre 30 e 40 meses. A mensuração do perímetro escrotal e amostras de sêmen foram coletadas em três períodos com intervalos de 15 dias, e o espermograma foi realizado por métodos convencionais e coloração de Feulgen para estimativa dos percentuais de fragmentação nuclear. Os animais foram orquiectomizados e fragmentos de testículos foram submetidos a analises bacteriológicas, histopatológicas e morfométricas. Dentre os animais avaliados, 14 não apresentaram alterações testiculares, 15 orquite bacteriana, 10 degeneração, 10 orquite inespecífica e 7 hipoplasia testicular. As médias do perímetro escrotal não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Os resultados das análises seminais mostraram que a motilidade em animais normais é superior aos animais com orquite inespecífica e estatisticamente semelhante aos demais grupos. Quanto ao percentual de espermatozóides normais, animais normais e animais com hipoplasia testicular, apresentaram percentuais superiores aos demais grupos. Os defeitos de cabeça espermática e fragmentação nuclear de animais com orquite inespecífica foram superiores aos animais com testículos normais e hipoplásicos, e semelhantes os outros grupos. Animais com orquite inespecífica apresentaram área de epitélio seminífero inferior aos demais grupos e área de células de Leydig superior aos animais com testículos normais. Os touros avaliados mostraram um alto índice de alterações testiculares e um alto percentual de animais inaptos para reprodução. A biometria testicular não permitiu o diagnóstico das afecções testiculares. / Abstract: The present study aimed at to evaluate the testis changes influences about biometrics, morphometrics and seminal characteristics in bulls. Fifty six Nelore bulls, weighing between 420 and 600 kg and with age between 30 and 40 months were used. The scrotal perimeter measurement and semen samples were collected in three periods with intervals of 15 days, and the spermogrammes were evaluated by conventional methods and by Fuelgen stain for nuclear fragmentation evaluate. The animals were orqiectomyzeds and testis fragments were submitted to bacteriological, histhopatologicals and morphometrical analyses. Among the evaluated animals, 14 don't showed testis changes, 15 bacterial orchitis, 10 testicular degeneration, 10 unspecific orchitis and e 7 testicular hipoplasia. The scrotal perimeter averages didn't showed significant differences between groups. The results of the seminal analyses showed that the mobility in normal animals, it is superior to the animals with unspecific orchitis and statistically similar to the other groups. The percentage of the normal sperms in normal animals and animals with testicular hipoplasia was greater that others groups. The sperm head defects and nuclear fragmentation in animals with unspecific orchitis was greater that animals with normal and hipoplasic testis, and similar to others groups. Animals with unspecific orchitis showed somniferous epithelium area lower to others groups and Leydig cells area higher to animals with normal testicles. The bulls evaluated showed a high index of the testicular changes and a high percentage of the inapt animals to reproduction. The testicular biometric analysis don't allowed testicular diseases diagnose. / Orientador: Enio Pedone Bandarra / Coorientador: Pedro Paulo Pires / Banca: Raimundo Souza Lopes / Banca: Carlos Eurico dos Santos Fernandes / Mestre