FBI conducts market research into NIR iris biometric cameras

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division has issued a Request for Information as part of market research into near infrared (NIR) iris cameras capable of dual iris capture.

The FBI acknowledges that iris recognition technology has become more commercialized in recent years and says it wants a clearer picture of which companies are actively operating in the sector.

That language suggests the FBI is mapping the competitive landscape, assessing market maturity and identifying firms with both technical capability and federal contracting experience.

CJIS operates the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, which since 2020 has included an iris service that stores iris images submitted by federal, state, local and tribal partners using Electronic Biometric Transmission Specification (EBTS) Type 17 records.

EBTS Type 17 records are the FBI’s standardized format for submitting and exchanging iris biometric images within its national identification systems.

EBTS sets the technical rules for how biometric data must be structured, labeled and transmitted so it can be processed by the FBI’s NGI system. Type 17 is the specific record category designated for iris images.

Each Type 17 record contains the iris image itself along with required metadata, such as whether the image is from the left or right eye and technical details about the capture. When both eyes are collected, agencies typically submit two Type 17 records within a single transaction.

Requiring this standardized format ensures that iris data captured anywhere in the country can be stored, searched and shared across federal, state and local systems without compatibility problems.

The RFI indicates the bureau is looking at two distinct but related categories of technology.

First are fixed near infrared camera devices capable of dual iris biometric collection. These systems must be able to capture both the right and left iris in a single enrollment workflow and generate two compliant Type 17 records.

The second are near infrared iris camera devices and systems capable of mobile iris biometric collection. The mobile emphasis suggests interest in field-deployable capture tools that could operate outside traditional booking stations, potentially in patrol, correctional intake, or other operational settings.

Interoperability is the overriding technical requirement. All candidate systems must support the interchange of iris biometric images between government entities. The FBI stresses conformance to standards that ensure compatibility with other biometric recognition systems and retention of imagery in standard formats.

This is not merely a hardware procurement exercise. The FBI is signaling that any device must fit cleanly into a federated, standards-based architecture that allows data sharing, future algorithm upgrades, and cross-system searches without proprietary lock-in.

Integration with existing infrastructure is another non-negotiable requirement. The RFI states that the cameras must integrate with an existing live scan terminal that uses software to capture data and package it into transactions conforming to the current FBI EBTS.

That means vendors must demonstrate that their devices can feed iris images into established EBTS workflows without disrupting fingerprint, palm print, or other biometric submission processes already embedded in agency operations.

The technical expectations extend beyond basic capture capability. Cameras must be able to perform dual iris capture of both eyes and accommodate scenarios in which an iris is missing or cannot be captured, such as when an eye is bandaged.

This reflects the practical realities of law enforcement environments where injuries, medical conditions or other factors can complicate biometric enrollment.

Devices will need robust software logic and user interfaces to handle partial captures while maintaining transaction integrity.

The RFI reflects an FBI intent on ensuring that iris biometrics remain interoperable, standards-driven, and operationally flexible as part of the evolving NGI framework.

The bureau is not just seeking sharper images. It is laying the groundwork for how iris data will be captured, packaged, transmitted and searched across interconnected criminal justice networks in the years ahead.

Responses are due by March 31.

In June 2023, Iris ID reported that the NGI Iris Service had approximately 2.5 million identities registered and was growing at a rate of 100,000 new identities a month.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  FBI  |  iris biometrics  |  iris recognition  |  law enforcement  |  NGI  |  RFI