The United Arab Emirates has begun to launch a third generational biometric scanning system to replace the Emirati ID cards. In this article, we will be discovering how it will be different from the standard ID cards.

Emirates Identity Authority

The director general of the Emirates Identity Authority, Dr. Saeed Abdullah bin Mutlaq Al GaflI has spoken to the Federal National Council that during the following four to five years the authorities are looking to expand the techniques of identification with automated means such as iris scanning, facial recognition and fingerprints.

Seems familiar to the crazy society from Spielberg’s sci-fi Minority Report right? Iris recognition, after all, is featured in so many movies, and TV series. Be prepared to experience it in real life, as the Dubai government is working toward making 80 percent of their authoritative services accessible to the public through the use of their cell phones by allowing chip scanning in the ID beginning next year with the use of Near Field Communication (NFC).

The technology

The smart ID card reader software is a conception founded on the degree to which the integrated software can deal with the ID card and the support type of the smart card reader on your cell phone.

The Dir-Gen Al Gafli has stated that the technology is already made available to the Abu Dhabi Police force by network provider Etisalat and du.

The benefits

Iris recognition is hailed as the most accurate modality among most techniques. It is also recognized as the quickest method to capture photographs of your eyes and mark out the individual patterns of the iris to authenticate the identity.

The accuracy of the technique can be attributed to the fact that the anatomy of the iris stays the same the entire life. Also, in even the most unique case the chance of two individuals having the same Iris pattern is one in millions and millions.

It also has a robust approval rating for being the most non-intruding, non-contact, and sterile forms of recognition methodologies.

The shortcomings

The breach of privacy is probably the biggest threat to the biometric technique of iris recognition. Secondly, a device error can false reject or false accept the identity which can also have some heinous consequences.

Lastly, the method isn’t the most cost-effective one. It is complex and therefore expensive. Furthermore, the maintenance of devices and data can also be relatively burdensome.

However, thanks to the oil money and spending ability of Dubai, they are economically equipped to effectively embrace this system.

Ongoing successful application

Beginning from 2003, UAE has been operating a deportee-tracking model developed by Iris Guard’s Homeland Security Border Control. It was a strategy to ensure national security. Till date, the system has gotten hold of over 330,000 people who tried to enter the UAE illegally.

The future

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP, and PM of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has guided a path to smart and technology oriented government services.

This entire novel tech and the biometric application will revamp and maximize the use of most government services, cut back on paperwork and documents. It will make everything much more streamlined — from applying for renewal of the residential permit to receiving a medical consultation.

Get ready to say Maassalamah to your paper receipts and plastic ID cards.