Biometric Systems: Technology, Design and Performance Evaluation

Rating:
Summary: A Clear Winner from Biometrics Pioneers !
Review: Biometric Authentication has become a first-class, full-fledged, field of study with its own diverse composite of foundational technologies at its core. As is the case with any "highly-interdisciplinary" field, the challenge for textbook authors is to present a body of work which provides an adequate scope of material while at the same time providing adequate detail for that body of knowledge.. Wayman and company with this current work have met that challenge admirably.

This book provides a wealth of pertinent information, results, and lessons learned along the way in the research, development and deployment of biometric systems worldwide. The contributors include researchers and practitioners who have been involved in the field since the very beginning. All of the popular person recognition modalities are examined including fingerprint, face, speaker, and iris, as well as large scale system design and integration issues. Also covered are evaluation, testing, and the all important societal privacy issues from both the US and European perspective. The text comprehensively and coherently addresses the material at a surprisingly accessible level; the majority of the material can be readily understood without an advanced background in higher mathematics or computer science.

I highly recommend this book for beginning and intermediate level biometrics professionals requiring comprehensive knowledge of this relatively new field. It also provides a wonderful jumping-off point for further study and exploration.