They've been doing this in Vancouver for almost a year now. Mark Quoting "Michael A. Burris" <yyz_02140@xxxxxxxxx>: > German Airport Testing Iris Scan > > Tue Feb 17, 9:02 AM ET > > Add Technology - AP to My Yahoo! > > By MATT SURMAN, Associated Press Writer > > BERLIN - Travelers at Frankfurt airport, continental > Europe's busiest, can now enter Germany with a > three-second scan of their eyes, providing they sign > up for a test project for iris recognition technology. > > > > AP Photo > > > > Passengers in the six-month program still go through > regular security controls, but can bypass conventional > passport checks. They can simply put their passport > though a scanner, take a quick look at a camera and a > few seconds later enter the country, airport officials > said. > > > To qualify, passengers would need background checks by > German border police, a machine-readable passport, be > citizens of the European Union (news - web sites) or > Switzerland, register at the airport and have an iris > scan on file. > > > The test is part of efforts in many countries, > especially the United States in the wake of the Sept. > 11 attacks, to extend the use of biometric technology > ? using fingerprint, eye or facial recognition scans ? > to track travelers and immigrants, while also cutting > down on time spent in line. > > > "Iris recognition is at this time the most secure > biometric," Interior Minister Otto Schily, Germany's > top security official said in launching the test last > week. "That's why we chose it for the Frankfurt > airport pilot project." > > > Byometric Systems of Mitterfelden, Germany, and > Tokyo-based Oki Electric Industry are providing the > service through contractor Bosch Security Systems. > They hope to have full-scale service in place after a > six-month test. > > > Germany passed laws after Sept. 11 attacks that > provide for biometric features to be added to > passports and personal identity papers. Post-Sept. 11 > U.S. legislation also requires 27 countries, mostly in > Europe, to add biometrics to passports they issue > after Oct. 26, 2004, or else have their citizens apply > for visas. > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! > http://sbc.yahoo.com >