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Bio-identifiers

What are bio-identifiers?

Bio-identifiers are factors used in biometric identification to determine a person’s identity. They are items of biometric data, such as voice recordings, face photos, or fingerprint images.  

There are three categories of bio-identifiers: 

  • Biological: Traits at a genetic and molecular level (e.g., blood, DNA) 
  • Behavioral: Based on patterns unique to a person (e.g., how someone speaks, walks, or types) 
  • Morphological: The structure of someone’s body (e.g., fingerprints, eyes, face shape) 

Biometric identification takes the captured bio-identifier and compares it to a database of biometric data to identify whose data had just been collected.

What benefits do bio-identifiers offer?

Biometrics is seeing an increased use in society for two reasons: it is very convenient since bio-identifiers are always with a person and cannot be lost or forgotten, and bio-identifiers are difficult to impersonate or steal.

This can be especially beneficial in healthcare for ensuring that a patient’s data is matched only with them, and it can help to prevent duplicate enrollments or files.