[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 166 (Friday, August 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51797-51799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21775]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Announcement of Meeting and Opportunity to Join the Biometric 
Interoperability, Performance, and Assurance Working Group

AGENCY:  National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY:  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
invites interested parties to attend the kick-off meeting of the 
Biometric Interoperability, Performance, and Assurance Working Group on 
September 12, 2000 at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland from 8:30 AM to 
4:00 PM. The Biometric Interoperability, Performance, and Assurance 
Working Group will operate under the umbrella of the US Biometric 
Consortium (BC). The goal of this Working Group is to provide a forum 
for

[[Page 51798]]

its members to address issues related to biometrics interoperability, 
performance metrics, user's requirements, and biometrics assurance. The 
Working Group is being formed to facilitate and encourage, under the 
Biometric Consortium, further exchange of information and collaborative 
efforts between users and private industry in all things biometric. It 
intends to support further advancement of technical efficient and 
compatible biometrics technology solutions on a national and 
international basis by addressing required issues and efforts other 
than current development already undertaken by other national or 
international organizations (e.g., formal standards, industrial 
consortium developments, on-going testing developments, etc.). NIST 
will make available the Working Group membership agreement at the US 
Biometric Consortium Web page: http://www.biometrics.org

DATES:  The meeting will take place on September 12, 2000 from 8:30 AM 
to 4:00 PM in Gaithersburg, MD.

ADDRESSES:  The meeting will be held at the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Administration Building, 100 Bureau Drive, 
Gaithersburg, MD, 20899.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Fernando Podio, Co-Chair, Biometric 
Consortium, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8951, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899; 
Telephone (301) 975-2947; Fax (301) 869-7429; E-mail: 
[email protected]. The Working Group meeting will be co-located with 
the Biometric Consortium 2000 Conference to be held at NIST on 
September 13 and 14. Information on accommodations, transportation and 
an area map may be found on the World Wide Web at the biometric 
Consortium Conference Web page: http://www.nist.gov/bc2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

Working Group Goals

    The Working Group's goals will include: (1) Providing the users 
with further opportunities under the Biometric Consortium to interact 
with private industry on issues related to the development of the 
required performance metrics and standards that would reflect their 
needs; (2) Developing guidelines and tests to accomplish effective-
enhancing and technically compatible technologies on a non-
discriminatory, voluntary, multi-vendors basis; (3) Conducting 
appropriate research, including research prototype activities among its 
members, and informational activities as required; (4) Developing 
functional specifications, measurements, test sequences, 
demonstrations, corresponding publications and other activities as 
required; (5) Biometrics integration with other technologies (e.g., 
smart cards and PKI) may impose additional performance metrics and 
technical specifications (they will also be addressed as required); (6) 
in the absence of required formal standards, developing submissions to 
appropriate industry forums and standards bodies that facilitate the 
evolution of standards; and, (7) Task Forces to address specific issues 
will be formed as required.
    The BC Working Group will seek strong coordination of its 
activities with other organizations to improve efficiency of operations 
and to avoid duplication of their efforts. It intends to establish 
liaisons with other organizations that are involved with biometric 
technology developments including industrial organizations and 
Government efforts.
    More details on the planned activities are provided in the BC 
Working Group membership agreement. A preliminary list of topics that 
will be addressed in this forum include: (1) User requirements on 
interoperability, performance and standards; (2) Interoperability 
tests; (3) Performance metrology; (4) biometric data interchange; (5) 
Quality; and, (6) Biometrics Assurance.

Background

    The US Biometric Consortium (BC) serves as the Government's focal 
point for research, development, testing, evaluation, and application 
of biometric-based personal identification and verification technology. 
It currently has over seven hundred members from private industry, 
Federal/State/local government, and academia. Sixty different federal 
agencies are represented in the Consortium. The BC, NIST and NSA 
sponsor research and other industry and user activities, as needed. The 
Biometric Consortium is co-chaired by Jeffrey S. Dunn and Fernando L. 
Podio.
    As defined by the US Biometric Consortium, biometrics are automated 
methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral 
characteristic. In the context of this Working Group, biometrics may be 
used for personal verification (one to one matching) applications and 
personal identification (one to many) applications.
    The Biometric Consortium, NIST (through the Information Technology 
Laboratory (ITL)), and NSA (through the Research and Advance 
Development Group) collaborate in fostering and conducting research in 
biometrics technologies and small cards to assist users and these 
industries in developing new technology capabilities, testing 
methodologies and standards. These efforts are in support of 
information security, electronic commerce, and other identification and 
authentication applications.
    NIST ITL's Biometrics and Smart Cards program is supporting the 
biometric and smart card industries and users by expanding ITL's role 
to new and challenging research and development (R&D), testing, 
standards and implementation efforts. These efforts include biometrics 
R&D, metrology and standards, biometrics and smart card integration, 
and the development of biometrics and smart cards experimental 
applications. NIST has a role in measurements and standards for 
Electronic Commerce. Through ITL's Biometrics and Smart Cards program, 
NIST is developing a biometric interface for electronic commerce. NIST 
is working with the biometrics industry on the development of the 
required biometric standards that will assure biometrics application 
developers, service providers, and users that the required 
interoperable biometric solutions will be available.
    NSA conducts one of the U.S. Government's leading research and 
development programs. Some of the Agency's R&D projects have 
significantly advanced the state of the art in the scientific and 
business words. NSA's early interest in cryptanalytic research led to 
the first large-scale computer and the first solid-state computer, 
predecessors to the modern computer. NSA pioneered efforts in flexible 
storage capabilities, which led to the development of the tape 
cassette. NSA also made ground-breaking developments in semiconductor 
technology and remains a world leader in many technological fields. As 
part of the INFOSEC mission, NSA conducts research on new technologies 
that may be used to protect information technology systems. For several 
years, NSA has been researching biometric technologies that may be 
useful to prevent unauthorized access to critical systems.
    The BC, NIST/ITL and NSA (INFOSEC) co-sponsor, organize, and 
participate in technical research and other industry/user's technical 
activities as required. Some of year 2000 efforts include:
     The development of a Common Biometric Exchange File Format 
(CBEFF)

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     Co-sponsorship of a Bio API Users and Developers Seminar
     Co-sponsorship of a DoD PKI Target Class 4 Token Security 
Requirements Workshop
     Co-sponsorship of BioAPI Consortium meetings
    The BC, NIST/ITL, and NSA (INFOSEC) are also supporting other 
government organizations and the entire community. They are currently 
advisors and working in collaboration with the Biometrics Management 
Office (operated by the U.S. Department of the Army), the GSA's Office 
of Smart Card Initiatives and UK's Biometrics Working Group. The BC co-
chairs have recently provided testimony on biometrics to the Commission 
on Child Online Protection (COPA).

    Dated: August 21, 2000.
Karen H. Brown,
Deputy Director, NIST.
[FR Doc. 00-21775 Filed 8-24-00; 8:45 am]
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