SBIR-STTR Award

At present, the field of mobile biometric screening devices is limited to either strictly data capture devices or devices with limited data processing and communication capability, because of reliance on Personal Digital Assistant technologies. PDA based architectures have provided a means for quick development of biometric field devices, but they also significantly limit data processing and communications capability. The development of a global biometrics screening capability will require exploratory development in the areas of biometrics data processing and communications in order to eliminate dependence upon external infrastructure. The envisioned device will support existing and planned commercially available biometrics handheld scanners via IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth wireless connectivity, provide sufficient data processing to compress and packetize biometrics data for global satellite communications connectivity, sufficient on-board data processing and storage to house a significant on-board biometric database for realtime query, and a robust communications protocol to reliably utilize Iridium satellite communications connectivity to a centralized biometrics database. The envisioned mobile biometric screening device will be a truly global biometric instrument, providing the DHS field agent or DOD screener ready access to up-to-date biometrics data anywhere in the world, as well as the means for capturing new biometrics data in the field.

DHS field agents do not have a device that provides them the ability to rapidly screen and manage the identities of individuals they encounter during routine operations or following terrorist incidents and natural disaster, when no local communications infrastructure is available. A device to fill this need must be portable, operable in all weather conditions, provide the ability to capture biometric data in the field, and have the ability to send data over a secure link to a biometric database such as the DHS biometric database (IDENT) to query for biometric matches. The Phase I effort identified a viable technical architecture for a Biometrics Gateway System that links COTS handheld scanners with a remote biometric database without relying on local infrastructure. The Biometric Gateway supports a broad range of DHS and US Government agencies in an architecture that can be tailored to meet specific agency CONOPS and provides renewed life to legacy biometrics scanners presently in the field. The Phase II effort will culminate in operational field testing of two prototype biometrics communications managers with 802.11, Bluetooth, cellular, and satellite-based communications capability, and a prototype remote gateway portal to facility queries to CONUS-based databases, such as IDENT