USSOCOM seeks smartphone-based contactless iris biometrics for military ID

The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is seeking companies and researchers that can turn ordinary Android phones and tablets into contactless iris collection devices capable of producing biometric images suitable for government identification systems.

SOFWERX, working with USSOCOM’s Program Executive Office for Tactical Information Systems, plans to test whether cameras and lighting already built into commercial mobile devices can capture iris images of sufficient quality for matching and enrollment in the Defense Department’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

The effort could reduce or eliminate the need for operators to carry a separate iris camera or connect additional biometric hardware to a tactical mobile device.

USSOCOM said its objective is to reduce the physical and power burden of biometric collection equipment while preserving the image quality needed for reliable identification.

Organizations interested in attending an initial collaboration event must apply by August 28. Participation is limited to U.S. citizens.

The in-person event will be held September 30 at SOFWERX in Tampa, Florida.

SOFWERX was established through a partnership intermediary agreement between USSOCOM and DEFENSEWERX to connect the command with companies, researchers and other potential technology partners.

The proposed study will examine Android phones and tablets with built-in cameras to determine whether they can locate an iris in an image without a separate optical attachment and capture it at a resolution suitable for biometric matching.

Testing is expected to include image distortion, differences among individual cameras, and the devices’ sensitivity to near-infrared light between 805 and 1,000 nanometers.

USSOCOM said a previous study indicated that mobile device cameras could perform iris localization, but the results need to be tested against a larger and more varied population. The command estimates that images from 500 to 1,000 people would be sufficient to establish whether the underlying biometric algorithm is viable.

The expanded study is expected to produce matching scores for the collected images, comparisons of camera performance, and information about how individual devices respond to near-infrared light.

That response is important because specialized iris cameras commonly use controlled near-infrared illumination to reveal the detailed texture of the iris while limiting problems caused by eye color and ambient lighting.

The images would be evaluated against ISO standards governing iris image data and biometric sample quality, as well as version 4.1 of the Defense Department’s Electronic Biometric Transmission Specification (EBTS).

EBTS serves as a DoD-specific extension of the FBI EBTS and ANSI/NIST-ITL standards, tailored primarily to interface with ABIS.

The FBI’s current iris-camera guidance notes that dedicated iris cameras differ significantly from conventional photography equipment and are designed to control focus, illumination, and the position of the subject’s eyes.

The guidance says a properly collected iris image can be used as a positive identification biometric and notes that mobile identification and border security are among the technology’s potential uses.

The USSOCOM project would test whether software and the continuing improvement of commercial mobile cameras can compensate for the absence of some of that specialized hardware.

According to the notice, the initial development of an application or collection process could allow the technology to be incorporated into devices and biometric workflows already used by Special Operations Forces.

A peer reviewed study led by the Identity Intelligence Exploitation program office and supporting subject matter experts will determine whether the approach produces matchable iris images.

The resulting biometric files could be submitted to the Defense Department’s ABIS, which stores, searches, and matches biometric data collected in support of military operations.

The system supports multiple biometric modalities, including fingerprints, facial images, and irises, and can exchange certain identity information with other federal biometric systems under interoperability agreements.

The September 30 collaboration event is intended to give military personnel an opportunity to explain operational requirements and current limitations directly to companies, universities, and national laboratories.

Attendees will participate in discussions on the shortcomings of existing collection systems, possible technical approaches, and the development of formal problem statements.

Attendance is not required to compete during later stages of the project. Organizations that do not participate in the September meeting may submit their technologies during a separate application period scheduled to run from October 27 through November 27.

USSOCOM plans to hold a virtual question-and-answer session November 11, followed by a technical review and down-selection period lasting from November 30 through December 14. Organizations selected for further evaluation are expected to receive invitations around December 15.

The notice schedules an assessment event for January 19 through January 21, when selected participants would meet individually with a USSOCOM evaluation panel to present or demonstrate their systems.

It lists the assessment as taking place in 2026, although that date precedes the preceding submission and selection stages. The sequence indicates the intended date is likely January 2027.

The assessment will be conducted in person at SOFWERX with a virtual component. Solutions will be evaluated independently and primarily on technical merit. Favorably evaluated participants may move directly into negotiations with the government.

USSOCOM said possible follow-on arrangements could include research and development agreements, prototype other transaction agreements, cooperative research agreements, prize competitions, or contracts issued under the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

A successful prototype agreement could also lead to a production award without another competition when the conditions established under federal law are met.

Organizations receiving awards may be required to comply with NIST Special Publication 800-171, which establishes safeguards for controlled unclassified information stored or processed on nonfederal systems.

Article Topics

Android  |  biometric identification  |  iris biometrics  |  mobile biometrics  |  smartphones  |  SOFWERX  |  U.S. Army  |  USSOCOM