Beyond Biometrics

Throughout the last 40 years, the essence of automated identification of users has remained the same. In this article, a new class of biometrics is proposed that is founded on processing biosignals, as opposed to images. After a brief introduction on biometrics, biosignals are discussed, including their advantages, disadvantages, and guidelines for obtaining them. This new class of biometrics increases biometrics’ robustness and enables cross validation. Next, biosignals’ use is illustrated by two biosignal-based biometrics: voice identification and handwriting recognition. Additionally, the concept of a digital human model is introduced. Last, some issues will be touched upon that will arise when biosignal-based biometrics are brought to practice

Thinking Beyond Biometrics

Today, digital biometrics are proliferating. Based on scans of biological traits – from faces, fingerprints and gait to vein patterns, heart rhythm, brain activity, and body odor – biometrics are known to be able to establish the identity of a human subject. When reading humanities research on biometrics, though, it becomes evident that we are altering a lot more than just our faces. This article proposes a study of a wave of artistic counter-biometrics in order to enable thinking beyond the biometric box, practicing the ‘art of disappearing’ from the biometric gaze. With an outset in Zach Blas’ Face Cages (2013- 16) and his “Fag Face” mask from Facial Weaponization Suite (2011-14) the article argues that biometrics produces an aesthetics, and that it should be treated as such. This shifts our perspective from the technical media to the narratives we inscribe in these media and the aesthetic output enabled by that. Activating a counter- biometric aesthetics is far from naïve. On the contrary, engaging in the aesthetics of biometrics is a valuable and urgently needed research strategy for dealing with the physiognomic renaissance biometrics brings about

Prerequisites for Affective Signal Processing (ASP) - Part V: A response to comments and suggestions

In four papers, a set of eleven prerequisites for affective signal processing (ASP) were identified (van den Broek et al., 2010): validation, triangulation, a physiology-driven approach, contributions of the signal processing community, identification of users, theoretical specification, integration of biosignals, physical characteristics, historical perspective, temporal construction, and real-world baselines. Additionally, a review (in two parts) of affective computing was provided. Initiated by the reactions on these four papers, we now present: i) an extension of the review, ii) a post-hoc analysis based on the eleven prerequisites of Picard et al.(2001), and iii) a more detailed discussion and illustrations of temporal aspects with ASP

Systematic review of psychosocial factors at work and in the personal situation as risk factors for back pain.

Study Design. A systematic review of observational studies. Objectives. To assess whether psychosocial factors at work and in private life are risk factors for the occurrence of back pain. Summary of Background Data. Several reviews on risk factors for back pain have paid attention to psychosocial factors. However, in none of the published reviews was a strict systematic approach used to identify and summarize the available evidence Methods. A computerized bibliographical search of several databases was performed, restricted to studies with a cohort or case-control design. A rating system was used to assess the strength of the evidence for various factors, based on the methodologic quality of the studies and the consistency of the findings. Results. Eleven cohort and two case-control studies were included in this review. Strong evidence was found for low social support in the workplace and low job satisfaction as risk factors for back pain. Insufficient evidence was found for an effect of a high work pace, high qualitative demands, low job content, low job control, and psychosocial factors in private life. Conclusions. Evidence was found for an effect of low workplace social support and low job satisfaction. However, the result for workplace social support was sensitive to slight changes in the rating system, and the effect found for low job satisfaction may be a result of insufficient adjustment for psychosocial work characteristics and physical load at work. In addition, the combined evaluation of job content and job control, both aspects of decision latitude, led to strong evidence of a role for low job decision latitude. Thus, based on this review, there is evidence for an effect of work-related psychosocial factors, but the evidence for the role of specific factors has not been established yet

The Role of Digital Certificates in EGoverning. The Case of the Romanian Regulation and Surveillance Authority

The implementation of electronic governance related projects implies user authentication,accounts activation and personal data verification. Certain public services, particularly thoseinvolving financial transactions or statements, require a high security level. The use of the PKI technology and, consequently, of digital signatures, constitutes the most viable solution, meeting the required security standards, protecting, on the one hand, the signatory’s identity, and, on the other hand, the integrity of the transmitted message. Due to the use of the digital certificate, the development of online public services is now possible, especially since it meets the requirements of security standards, but also because it is highly trusted by users. This article intends to analyze the impact of the digital certificate on the improvement of communication between state authorities, including specific transactional relations, and also to consider its influence on security improvement of dataflow. The study demonstrates that the digital certificate is closely connected to the information society, directly determining the dynamics of the development of new applications that provide a better interface between the state and its citizens

Biometric Technologies and the Law: Developing a Taxonomy for Guiding Policymakers

Despite the increasing adoption of biometric technologies, their regulation has not kept up with the same pace, particularly with regard to safeguarding individuals' privacy and personal data. Policymakers may struggle to comprehend the technology behind biometric systems and their potential impact on fundamental rights, resulting in insufficient or inadequate legal regulation. This study seeks to bridge this gap by proposing a taxonomy of biometric technologies that can aid in their effective deployment and supervision. Through a literature review, the technical characteristics of biometric systems were identified and categorised. The resulting taxonomy can enhance the understanding of biometric technologies and facilitate the development of regulation that prioritises privacy and personal data protection.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, submitted to 57th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-57

Subjective Positioning #selfie

Este artículo estudia uno de los aspectos del emergente fenómeno llamado selfie, desde una perspectiva de género que fomenta el empoderamiento a grupos constreñidos o excluidos por el patriarcado. Los selfies fotográficos o audiovisuales se encuentran en plena efervescencia y tienen la capacidad de ir más allá de la simple epidermis. Las implicaciones que pueden tener en nuestras vidas son diversas dependiendo de la edad de las personas que los toman, los roles que adoptan y los vínculos sociales. Las artistas que se han identificado con la toma del selfie y las redes sociales donde circulan, experimentan con las problemáticas que surgen como son las respuestas de odio, para pasar a acciones en la calle y la creación de talleres.This article examines an aspect of the emerging phenomenon called selfie, from a gender perspective that encourages empowerment to constrained groups or those excluded by patriarchy. Photographic or audiovisual selfies are in full swing and have the ability to go beyond the simple epidermis. The implications that can have on our lives are different depending on the age of people, the roles they adopt and their social ties. The female artists who have been identified with the seizure of selfie and social networks where they circulate, experience with the problems that arise as the answers are hateful, moving to street actions and creating workshops

Selfies at the border: a terror management reading

© 2020 The Author. Published by Liminalities. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: http://liminalities.net/16-2/selfies.pdfThis article investigates selfies as a cultural practice, examining the innate agency in selfie taking, positioning selfies as a form of resistance. The analysis considers the way Syrian refugees are framing themselves and are being framed, in a variety of photographic images depicting “Europe’s migration crisis” (Crawley and Skleparis). Through an application of Ernest Becker’s discourse on the ‘terror of death’, which is the basis of the social psychology concept of terror management theory, the research asserts the significance of participation and composition in selfies. It questions both literal and conceptual framings of these images and interrogates the ethics of recognisability and response in relation to the multiple frames of conception through which we view and interpret human life