Biometric Security Systems Standards

Biometric security systems

BioAPI

Standard biometric interfaces are required to provide interoperability between biometric components and subsystems. The BioAPI specification defines a standardized interface for using biometric devices, algorithms, and archives.

BioAPI was originally developed by the BioAPI Consortium, in which Daon is a participating member. BioAPI 1.1 became an American National Standard (ANSI INCITS 358) in April 2002. Since then it has been enhanced by JTC1/SC37 WG2, to produce a new version, BioAPI 2.0. Daon products use BioAPI to allow "plug-and-play" integration of biometric devices and algorithms that conform to the standard. In turn, Daon biometric functionality can also be made available to 3rd party applications through a BioAPI interface.

Work is underway in JTC1/SC37 to extend BioAPI and includes specification of a graphical-user interface model (BioGUI), a biometric archive function provider interface (BioAMI), a Biometric Interworking Protocol (BIP) specifying how BioAPI implementations communicate with each other across a network, and a lightweight version for use in embedded devices (BioAPI Lite).