Future challenges for systems delivery using ageing tolerant biometrics

A biometrically enabled transaction token was devised at the UK National Physical Laboratory as long ago as the late 1980s. It was then envisaged that the use of this electronic token in, e.g. payment transactions, would be enabled by automatic personal identification methods. The methods suggested included the measurement of biometric characteristics such as `written signatures, fingerprint and vein scanning'. It was suggested that the PIN be retained as a supplementary check on identity. Particular emphasis was given to the prospects for vein scanning as the basis of a new biometric.