Biometric modality: Ear – use cases
External ear recognition
- Modern biometrics technology can now capture and process ear features in the same way as other facial features. Ear recognition has not yet been widely adopted but could be used for security purposes e.g. access to facilities and identity authentication in large enclosed spaces. It could also be used to support and supplement other biometric modalities (for example, face) in multi-modal applications.
- Ear comparisons have been conducted for law enforcement investigations in various jurisdictions for many years, but these have often involved ear impressions left at crime scenes, for example someone listening at a window with their ear pressed against the glass. The distortion of the ear and its unique structures in these cases has sometimes been difficult to reconcile with the control samples taken from suspects and as a result the evidence has often been inconclusive. The use of ear recognition to identify individuals from a distance is more likely to become the main use case for law enforcement in the future.
Ear acoustic authentication
- The projected uses of ear acoustic authentication include an interface with technically advanced earpieces to remotely identify and locate individuals in high security or dangerous environments, even when they are wearing protective clothing/equipment, and to facilitate secure communication between people as the technology will confirm the identity of each person using an acoustic authentication headset.
Ear key considerations | Ear overview | Other modalities
