A system for non-intrusive human iris acquisition and identification

An automated system for the non-intrusive acquisition of images of human irises for the purpose of identity verification is described. This system uses active machine vision techniques, and does not require the user to make any physical contact with the system, or to assume any particular pose except that he stand with his head within a designated calibrated volume. The system integrates a broad range of vision and control algorithms, and hence represents a major achievement in system integration. Currently, the system has been developed to the level of a robust prototype. It has been tested on over 600 people, and the results are impressive. A proposed use of the system is for identity verification at automatic teller machines to reduce the frequency of fraud. In this paper, the overall control structure of the system is delineated, and each of the algorithmic modules is described. Preliminary test results are reported and discussed.