Definition[]
Enrollment is
| “ | [c]reate and store, for a biometric subject, an enrollment data record that includes biometric reference(s) and typically, non-biometric data.[1] | ” |
Overview[]
In many commercial applications, storing the processed biometric sample is all that is needed. The original biometric sample cannot be reconstructed from this identifier.
During enrollment, the processed biometric sample can be stored in a database or in a portable token such as a smart card. In many applications, storing the original biometric sample is neither needed nor desirable. Some applications, however, may be set up to store the original biometric input for reprocessing at a later date (for example, to generate processed samples with a different processing algorithm).
The enrollment process is the authoritative point of correlation for the system. There is no technical method to guarantee that the biographic data (the description of who the person is: name, address, etc.) originally associated with the biometric in fact belongs to the individual who is (in the absolute sense) that person in the absolute sense. At some point, a user (such as a system administrator) must decide what biographic data to insert into the system. This decision is not absolutely controllable through technology and thus represents a possible gap in the ultimate accuracy and reliability of the system.
References[]
- ↑ Biometrics Identity Management Agency, Biometrics Glossary, at 25 (Ver. 5) (Oct. 2010) (full-text).