USSOCOM advances smartphone iris biometrics toward field testing

U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is preparing competitive testing of technology that could turn commercial Android phones and tablets into contactless iris biometric collection devices compatible with the Defense Department’s Automated Biometric Identification System (DoD ABIS).

A series of events to complete a study of mobile devices will be held September 30, although SOFWERX’s current events calendar lists September 29. Requests to participate are due August 28 and are limited to U.S. citizens.

The effort, being run by USSOCOM’s Program Executive Office for Tactical Information Systems (PEO-TIS) with SOFWERX, seeks to determine whether cameras and lighting already built into mobile devices can capture iris images of sufficient quality for biometric matching without a separate optical attachment.

A previous study found mobile cameras could locate irises, but USSOCOM wants testing across 500 to 1,000 people to establish whether the approach is viable. Testing is expected to examine matching scores, differences among individual cameras, image distortion and sensitivity to near-infrared wavelengths between 805 and 1,000 nanometers.

The objective is to eliminate dedicated iris scanners by using cameras and lighting already built into commercial mobile devices, reducing the size, weight and power burden carried by special operations personnel while maintaining interoperability with DoD ABIS.

Companies, universities and national laboratories whose technologies perform well could advance to negotiations for prototype or other agreements, including Other Transaction Authority arrangements under 10 U.S.C. 4022.

Successful prototype projects can, when statutory requirements are met, lead to follow-on production without another competition.

Article Topics

Android  |  biometrics  |  data collection  |  iris biometrics  |  SOFWERX  |  U.S. Army  |  U.S. Government  |  USSOCOM