Biometrics Abound
More companies are using technology that measures physical traits to guard against unauthorized access
Are you who you say you are? In an age where identity theft is rampant, and there's no end of ways that an intruder can gain unauthorized access to computers, buildings, networks, and other troves of valuable goods and data, the question is being asked more and more.
To get an accurate response, corporations and agencies are increasingly relying on what's known as biometrics. These technologies use biologic information -- say, speech cadences or iris patterns -- to identify a person reliably. Here's a rundown of some of the new systems being marketed by both blue-chip companies and startups to prevent fraudsters from faking an identity: