Signature recognition

Signature recognition authenticates identity by measuring handwritten signatures. The signature is treated as a series of movements that contain unique biometric data, such as personal rhythm, acceleration, and pressure flow. Unlike electronic signature capture, which treats the signature as a graphic image, signature recognition technology measures how the signature is signed.

In a signature recognition system, a person signs his or her signature on a digitized graphics tablet or personal digital assistant. The system analyzes signature dynamics such as speed, relative speed, stroke order, stroke count, and pressure. The technology can also track each person’s natural signature fluctuations over time.

The signature dynamics information is encrypted and compressed into a template that can range from slightly larger than 1,000 bytes to approximately 3,000 bytes. These templates are large by biometric standards and reflect the variety of data available in a typical signature.