Talk 7.4: 3:15PM–4:15PM
| Session Name: | Biomedical Applications and Artificial Perception |
| Session Time: | 3:15PM–4:15PM |
| Author Name: | Foteini Agrafioti |
| Author Email: | foteini@comm.utoronto.ca |
| Talk Title: | Biometrics for human identification |
| Slides: | 7-4.ppt |
| Abstract: | Security concerns involved in human identification applications are continiously increasing. Traditional methods of identity authentication require something that the subject can remember (e.g., password) or possess (e.g., ID cards). Due to advances in technology, the effectiveness of such identification methods is now questioned. The need for universal, cost efficient and difficult to fraud techniques is prominent. Biometrics are features extracted from the human body. The use of biometrics for authentication purposes has drawn intensive interests lately. Recognition of individuals based on a biometric feauture offers airtight security. The features used can either be physiological or behavioural. Examples of these biometrics include face, fingerprints, iris, voice, hand geometry, gait and keystroke recognition. However, every biometric feauture has its weakness and the main problem consists on the lack of robustness against falsifications. Our research is oriented in the investigation of the potential to use the electrocardiogram signal (ECG) for human authentication. The ECG signal reflects the electrical activity of the heart and it has been widely used for medical diagnostic purposes. Such signals vary significantly among people. These variations are related to differences in the size, exact location and anatomy of the heart, as well as to the age, sex and relative body weight of an individual. As a biometric, ECG based features are very hard to disguise thereby reducing significantly the possibility of applying falsified credentials. |
| Research Group: | Communications |
| Degree Program: | M.A.Sc. |
| Author Bio: | Foteini Agrafioti received her B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Crete, in Greece. She is currently pursuing her MASc degree in the communications group at the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Her reasearch interests focus on the use of biometrics as identification methods and signal processing in multimedia systems. |