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To: steve who wrote (19778)	1/27/2001 1:07:26 PM
From: steve	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 26039

Technology to debut here Biometrics could change the way computers work Karin Fischer <kfischer@dailymail.com> Daily Mail Washington bureau Thursday January 18, 2001; 12:46 PM WASHINGTON -- An innovative security and identification system that ultimately could be used throughout the Defense Department will receive its trial run at West Virginia's National Guard headquarters. The U.S. Army and West Virginia Army National Guard will begin a pilot project later this month to test security systems based on biometric identification technology. Biometrics is a cutting-edge science that allows individuals to be identified based on unique physical "signatures," like a fingerprint, the veins in a hand, retinal or facial scans or even body odor. Defense officials believe the implementation of biometrics technology could improve the security of military computer systems. The physical identifiers could take the place of passwords. The Army will be testing both access and computer network security systems at the National Guard's Charleston headquarters and at the state Office of Emergency Services' Operations Center. The pilot project is slated to begin by the end of January. Phil Loranger, who is spearheading efforts for the Defense Department, said it will give researchers the opportunity to test biometrics applications in a "real-world setting." The selection of the West Virginia National Guard facility as the site for the tests comes months after the Biometrics Fusion Center opened in Harrison County. The Harrison County facility is the testing ground for the department's biometrics initiatives in a research setting. West Virginia University also is home to the one-of-a-kind forensics identification degree program, which also includes biometrics, and the FBI Fingerprint Identification Center in Clarksburg is the largest biometrics depository in the world. Biometrics got a boost after Sen. Robert Byrd, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, took an interest. Byrd, D-W.Va., has gotten $40 million for biometrics initiatives. His office announced the pilot project Wednesday. The pilot project "will allow the Department of Defense's leadership to see, first-hand, physical and network biometrics security implementation in a non-tactical environment," Byrd said. Assistant Defense Secretary Art Money said the department is evaluating numerous options, including "keeping a close eye on the cutting-edge commercial innovations in biometrics." However, the military presents a special challenge when it comes to biometrics. While some applications may work well in an office setting, the military also needs the security protection for equipment used on the battlefield. dailymail.com steve