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Annual Report for: INCITS M1

Covering the Period from June 2006 to June 2007

Title of INCITS Subgroup: Biometrics

Links

Link to Website of INCITS M1 (includes all documents, minutes, and organizational member information)

Executive Summary

Link to INCITS M1 area on the INCITS Projects Database
Significant Accomplishments
Significant Challenges
Expected Challenges
Committee Activities
Meetings During The Reporting Period
Next Year's Planned Meetings
Liaison Activities
INCITS M1 Membership and Officers
Future Trends and Related Technical Activities
Other Administrative Information

Informal Description of Work:

The purpose of INCITS M1 is to ensure a high priority, focused and comprehensive approach in the United States for the rapid development and approval of formal national and international generic biometric standards. These standards are considered to be critical for U.S. needs, such as homeland defense, the prevention of identity theft and for other government and commercial applications based on biometric personal recognition. The current national program of work includes:

• Biometric technical interface standards
• Biometric data interchange formats and quality standards
• Conformance testing methodology standards
• Biometric profiles for interoperability and data interchange
• Biometric performance testing and reporting standards

INCITS M1 also developed a report on Biometrics and E-Authentication.

INCITS M1 is the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1 (JTC 1) Subcommittee SC 37 - Biometrics, which is developing a similar portfolio of international biometric standards.  In addition to the type of biometric standards listed above, JTC 1 SC 37 is developing a biometric harmonized vocabulary and the following technical reports:

• Cross jurisdictional and societal aspects of implementation of biometric technologies
• Multi-modal and other multi-biometric fusion
• Biometric tutorial
• Biometric performance testing and reporting - Part 3: modality-specific testing

1. Executive Summary:

Biometric standardization is of very high priority for the US.  Biometric technologies are essential to support more secure personal authentication solutions.  In particular, the deployment of standards-based biometric technologies is anticipated to achieve significantly higher levels of security for critical infrastructures than have been possible to date with other technologies.  INCITS M1 continues to be focused on an ambitious program of work in both national and international standards development.  M1 is successfully accomplishing its work through an aggressive development schedule for its national projects and it is a major contributor to the biometric standards portfolio under development in JTC 1/SC 37.

INCITS M1 completed the development of the “first generation” of national biometric data interchange format standards. These projects address standardization of data interchange standard formats for a number of biometric modalities including finger minutiae, finger pattern, finger image data, face image data, iris image data, signature/sign time series and processed data, hand geometry and speaker's biometric format for data interchange. These standards were approved and published as INCITS standards. During this period, INCITS M1 has continued making significant progress in the development of biometric performance testing and reporting standards (as shown below additional parts of the multi-part standard on performance testing and reporting methodologies have been developed). Biometric interface standards are also under development. A revision of the Common Biometric Exchange Frameworks Formats (CBEFF) as well as conformance testing methodology for INCITS 358-2002, the BioAPI specification were completed (this standard was published). INCITS M1 is completing the development of an amendment to INCITS 358-2002 standards to support multi-modal biometric fusion; the Biometric Identity Assurance Services (BIAS) standard; and a standard that specifies support for ten-print capture devices using BioAPI. Two Biometric Profiles were completed and published: Biometric Profile - Interoperability and Data Interchange - DoD Implementations and Application Profile for Commercial Biometric Physical Access Control.

M1 is addressing new trends, technology innovations and new users' needs in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the area of personal identification and verification applications. Support for multi-modal biometrics, support for three-dimensional face data (3D) (amendment to the face recognition data interchange format standard) and support for ten-print capture devices are examples of the way INCITS M1 is reacting to these technology innovations and new customers' needs.

During the reporting period INCITS M1 completed a report developed by INCITS M1.4 Ad-Hoc Group on Biometrics and E-Authentication. The final version of the report:

–        Has been placed on the M1 home page

–        Has been forwarded to INCITS CS1 (for the CS1 August meeting)

–        Will be formally transmitted to NIST

–        Will be presented at the Biometric Consortium Conference

–        May be formally endorsed by the International Biometric Industry Association (IBIA)

A new application profile based on the authentication architectures described in the report was proposed (and approved) as a new INCITS M1 project.

INCITS M1 Task Groups have maintenance responsibility for approved biometric standards as reflected in the project tables below.

Many of the "first generation” of biometric data interchange format standards and interface standards have already been adopted by large users of personal authentication applications.  The US Department of Homeland Security, for example, has included INCITS M1 biometric standards requirements as applicable (such as INCITS 383) within the Transportation Workers Identification Card Pilot project (TWIC) and has adopted the INCITS 385 standard as the basis for DHS's standard for face recognition (it has extracted portions of the INCITS 385 under agreement with INCITS to provide guidelines for several of their specific user communities: e.g., photographers, software developers).

INCITS 385-2004 (Face Recognition Format for Data Interchange), 381-2004 Finger Image Based Interchange Format) and INCITS 378-2004 (Finger Minutiae Format for Data Interchange) as well as INCITS 398-2005 (Common Biometric Exchange Framework Format) are requirements for conformance in the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees / Contractors program (NIST SP 800-76-1, Data Specification for Personal Identity Verification). In addition, INCITS 358-2002, the BioAPI specification and INCITS 398-2005, Common Biometric Exchange Framework Format are included in DoD's IT Registry. A number of the data interchange formats developed by INCITS M1 have been also included in the DoD IT Registry. See 2.1 below.

INCITS M1, in its capacity as the US TAG to JTC 1 SC 37 is a major contributor to the portfolio of standards under development within this Subcommittee.  Some of these standards developed by JTC 1 SC 37 were approved during 2006 and the earlier part of 2007 as shown below. At its March 2007 meeting INCITS M1 approved recommending INCTS EB adoption of a number of the biometric data interchange format standards as American National Standards..

INCITS M1 is responsible for seventeen "M" projects and twenty-one "D" projects two of which are multipart standards - the conformance testing methodology standard for the biometric data interchange formats and the biometric performance testing and reporting standard. INCITS M1 is also responsible for thirteen "L" projects subdivided into forty-seven "L" subprojects. This work in INCITS M1 is conducted through the following Task Groups:

M1.2 - Task Group on Biometric Technical Interfaces
M1.3 - Task Group on Biometric Data Interchange Formats
M1.4 - Task Group on Biometric Profiles
M1.5 - Task Group on Biometric Performance Testing and Reporting
M1.6 - Task Group on Cross Jurisdictional and Societal Issues

Internationally, each of these Task Groups is the TAG to the corresponding JTC 1/SC 37 Working Group (at the February 2005 meeting, INCITS M1 approved withdrawing from JTC 1 SC 37 WG1). As stated above one INCITS M1.4 Ad-Hoc Group was active during this period: the Ad-Hoc Group on Biometrics and E-Authentication chaired by Mrs. Cathy Tilton, Daon.

As of June 2007, INCITS M1 has fifty-three member organizations including nine Advisory members and nine Liaison members (ANSI, INCITS B10, CS1, and V2, X9F4, BioAPI Consortium, OASIS, the VoiceXML Forum and the International Biometric Industry Association (IBIA)).

A brief description of current INCITS M1 Task Groups follows:

M1.2, the Task Group on Biometric Technical Interfaces, chaired by Mr. Fred Herr, The Biometric Foundation, covers the standardization of all necessary interfaces and interactions between biometric components and sub-systems, including the possible use of security mechanisms to protect stored data and data transferred between systems. M1.2 will also consider the need for a reference model for the architecture and operation of biometric systems in order to identify the standards that are needed to support multi-vendor systems and their applications. M1.2 serves as the US TAG to the JTC 1 SC 37 Working Group 2 on Biometric Technical Interfaces.  INCITS M1.2 has nineteen Voting Members and one Advisory member.  One Ad-Hoc Group was active during the reporting period: Ad-Hoc Group on BioAPI Support for Ten-Print Capture (AHGUBSTC).

M1.3, the Task Group on Biometric Data Interchange Formats, chaired by Dr. Greg Cannon, CrossMatch Technologies, focuses on the standardization of the content, meaning and representation of biometric data interchange formats. It is also addressing the development of conformance testing methodologies for most of the biometric data interchange standards. INCITS M1.3 serves as the US TAG to the JTC 1 SC 37 Working Group 3 Biometric Data Interchange Formats.  INCITS M1.3 has twenty-six voting members.

M1.4, the Task Group on Biometric Profiles, chaired by Mr. Fernando Podio, NIST, covers the standardization of Application Profile projects. M1.4 serves as the US TAG to the JTC 1 SC 37 Working Group 4 Biometric Functional Architecture and Related Profiles. M1.4 has twenty-one Voting Members and four Advisory Members. One Ad-Hoc Group has been active during this reporting period and has been re-chartered every two meetings of M1.4: the Ad-Hoc Group on Biometrics and E-Authentication (as a response to proposals made at a NIST Workshop on Biometrics and E-Authentication Over Open Networks held March 30-31, 2005).  The INCITS M1.4 Ad-Hoc Group was formed to address the workshop recommendations and to develop a report to INCITS M1describing suitability of biometric architectures, requirements and recommendations for the use of biometrics at each of four authentication levels defined in Office of Management and Budget’s Memorandum OMB M-04-04, E-Authentication Guidance for Federal Agencies.   This Ad-Hoc Group met 5 times during the reporting period.

M1.5 is the Task Group on Biometric Performance Testing and Reporting, chaired by Mr. John Neumann, US Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS). It handles the standardization of biometric performance metric definitions and calculations, approaches to test performance and requirements for reporting the results of these tests. M1.5 serves as the US TAG to the JTC 1 SC 37 Working Group 5 Biometric Testing and Reporting. M1.5 has fourteen Voting Members and one Advisory Member.

M1.6, the Task Group on Cross Jurisdictional and Societal Issues, chaired by Ms. Elaine Newton, NIST, addresses the study and standardization of technical solutions to societal aspects of biometric implementations. Excluded from the TG's scope is the specification of policies, the limitation of usage, or imposition of non-technical requirements on the implementations of biometric technologies, applications, or systems. M1.6 serves as the US TAG to the JTC 1 SC 37 Working Group 6 Cross-Jurisdictional and Societal Issues. M1.6 has nine voting members. M1.6 has responsibility for one "L" project:

Summary of Projects

The tables below include all the projects under INCITS M1’s Responsibility. They identify the Task Group responsible for these standards. "D", "M", and "L" projects are listed. The tables also highlight the approved national (INCITS) and international (IS) standards.

Standards that have been published in the reporting period are identified by the symbol:­

Projects initiated this year (both national and international) are indicated by the symbol: y

Project 1823 - D Information technology - Biometric Identity Assurance Services (BIAS)

Project 1853-D Information technology - Conformance Testing Methodology for Common Biometric Exchange Formats

Standing Documents developed by INCITS M1 as shown in the table. They are posted in the INCITS M1 web site.

As a result of these activities, the current  INCITS M1 program of work is as shown in the table below. "D" projects, "M", and "L” ongoing projects are listed.

The status of international projects is reflected as of June 18, 2007.

2. Significant Accomplishments

As shown above, INCITS M1 and its TGs are developing a significant number of national projects. INCITS M1 is also a major contributor to JTC 1 SC 37’s international work. The US TAG is contributing a number of editors, it participates in all the SC 37 WGs (with the exception of WG1) and it provides contributions to about 95% of the ongoing projects. The TC therefore meets (and perhaps exceeds) its responsibilities as the US TAG to JTC 1 SC 37.

2.1 Adoption of national and international biometric standards

Large organizations within the US and abroad have adopted many of the biometric standards developed by INCITS M1 and JTC 1 SC 37. INCITS biometric standards are required in major government programs. Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) - Phase III - Prototype Phase - (DHS/TSA) required INCITS biometric standards such as INCITS 383 (Information technology - Application Profile - Interoperability and Data Interchange - Biometric Based Verification and Identification of Transportation Workers). This biometric application profile was the first biometric profile published worldwide. DoD requires conformance to the INCITS 358-2002, BioAPI specification and INCITS 398-2005, CBEFF, the Common Biometric Exchange Framework Format specification and it has requested registration in DoD IT Standards Registry of a number of the biometric data interchange format standards.

The Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal employees and contractors specification (NIST SP 800-76-1, January 2007) include conformance requirements to the finger minutia template (INCITS 378-20040), the finger image (INCITS 381-2004) and the face image data (INCITS 385-2004) interchange formats. This PIV government specification also requires conformance to the Common Biometric Exchange Framework Format (INCITS 398-2005). A common header for PIV biometric data specified in NIST SP 800-76-1 conforms to CBEFF (NIST PIV Patron Format). Registered Traveler Technical Interoperability specification requires conformance to: INCITS 398-2005 (CBEFF) – modified PIV patron format, INCITS 378-2004, INCITS 385-2004 and 19794-6 (iris image data interchange format).

It is expected that adoption of standards developed by INCITS M1 and JTC1/SC 37 will significantly increase in the near future. There are still national and international projects in the pipeline that should reap big payoffs. A measure of the market relevance of JTC 1/SC 37 is that two major international organizations (and many countries represented in these organizations require conformance to some of the standards approved in JTC 1 SC 37:

2.2 International Civil Aviation Administration (ICAO)

ICAO adopted a global, harmonized blueprint for the integration of biometric identification information into passports and other Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTD). Facial recognition was selected as the globally interoperable biometric for machine-assisted identity confirmation with MRTD. ICAO requires conformance to the international face recognition standard developed by JTC1 SC 37. Other requirements for JTC 1 SC37’s international standards are the fingerprint data interchange formats, the iris recognition interchange format, and the Common Biometric Exchange Formats Framework (CBEFF). 

2.3 The International Labor Office of the UN (ILO)

ILO’s requirements for the Seafarers’ ID Card include the use of two fingerprint templates to be stored in a barcode which will be placed in the area indicated by the ICAO’s 9303 standard. ILO requirements also specify the use of some of the JTC 1/SC 37 international standards, specifically finger minutiae and finger image data interchange formats and CBEFF. 

Level of Effort

The significant progress made during this period, both nationally and internationally,  represents thousands of hours of work by dedicated volunteer officers, editors, and contributors to both the national and international projects. INCITS M1 officers and members developed over one-thousand national documents (posted in the INCITS M1 document register) during this period. They support the technical and administrative activities of the INCITS M1 committee. The work of INCITS and INCITS M1 and its related counterpart (JTC  SC 37) has been publicized through talks and tutorial in technical conferences and publications given by INCITS M1 officers and other members. Members from other JTC 1 SC 37 NBs have also given talks that included discussion of aspects of the JTC 1 SC 37's program of work.

Examples of publications:

–        "Biometrics: Global Challenges and Customers' Needs", ISO Focus September 2005

–        "Biometric Technologies: Rising to the Challenge of Technology Innovation", ISO Focus, February 2006

–        “The Role of Biometrics in Enterprise Security”, Dell Power Solutions (magazine), February 2006.

–        “Biometric Standards Take on an International Flavor”, Standards Institute of Israel’s recent publication on Homeland Security, sponsored by the US-Israel Science and Technology Foundation, April 2007

–        “Quality and Standards – Integrating Biometrics”, Appliance Design magazine, May 2007 issue

Examples of presentations:

–        Biometric Consortium Conference, September 2005, Crystal City, VA

–        Biometrics Authentication Symposium January 16, 2006 - Kyoto, Japan

–        Biometric Consortium Conference September 2006, Baltimore, MD.

–        Biometrics 2006, October 2006, London, UK

–        Biometric Summit, March 2007, Miami, FL

The excellent work of INCITS M1 has been reflected in the following INCITS awards:

• 2003 INCITS Gene Milligan Award for Effective Committee Management awarded to the INCITS M1 officers
• 2005 INCITS Team Award to the INCITS M1 editorial team
• 2005 INCITS Gene Milligan Award for Effective Committee management awarded to the INCITS M1.3 Chair
• 2006 INCITS Gene Milligan Award for Effective Committee Management awarded to the INCITS M1 Chair
• 2006 INCITS Technical Excellence Award awarded to an INCITS M1.5 member
• 2006 INCITS Team Award to the INCITS M1 Editorial Team and an INCITS M1.5 Technical Team

3. Significant Challenges

As reflected in previous reports, adoption of biometric-based high performance, interoperable systems depend, in part, on the timely availability of a portfolio of biometric standards that are required by end-users, the IT personal authentication industry and other standards bodies. This includes requirements of biometrics standards by other INCITS TCs such as INCITS B10 and CS1 and requirements of international standards by other JTC1/SCs such as JTC1/SC 17 and 27 and ISO TCs. Nationally, INCITS M1 and its Task Groups mitigate this risk through the use of IT tools, cooperation with users and other standards committees, an excellent group of officers and experts, team work and tight program management.

INCITS M1 membership has met the challenge presented by the accelerated development pace. INCITS M1 is attracting experts from different biometric modalities as shown in ongoing work and recently approved projects (e.g., amendment to the face image data format to specified 3D data, speaker recognition, biometric fusion data format, Biometric Identity Assurance Services (BIAS), conformance testing methodology multi-part standard for the biometric data interchange formats). INCITS M1 needs to further increase its expert membership, however, to address the different aspects of its program of work. It also needs to increase its membership in order to successfully maintain the level of effort required by the development of the portfolio of biometric standards as well as the concurrent development of a similar portfolio of international standards.

During this period two projects were withdrawn because of the lack of further interest on these projects: Project 1797-D - Information technology - Keystroke Dynamics Format for Data Interchange and Project 1602 - D – Part 6 INCITS 409.6 Information technology - Biometric Performance Testing and Reporting - Part 6: Performance and Interoperability Testing of Implementations claiming conformance to Biometric Data Interchange Format Standards.

4. Expected Challenges

The accelerated pace of national and international biometric standards development presents a major challenge. INCITS M1 has reduced the number of meetings for 2007 to 4 meetings. JTC 1 SC 37 is operating on a 6-month cycle between WG meetings and 12-month cycles between Plenary meetings. These schedules impose great demands on INCITS M1 member organizations, editors (national and international projects), technical contributors and officers as well as imposing great demands on experts from other NBs represented in JTC 1 SC 37. Ongoing revised versions of the existing standards are aimed at complementing and enhancing functionality to these standards. The development of conformance testing methodology for the biometric data interchange formats enhances the standards portfolios and responds to customers’ needs for these standards.

As the US TAG to JTC 1/SC 37, INCITS M1 actively participates in JTC 1/SC 37 liaison efforts. An example is the ongoing collaboration with JTC1/SC 27 in support of the development of several of their standards such as ISO/IEC CD 24761.2, Information technology -- Security techniques --Authentication context for biometrics (ACBio).

5. Committee Activities

The latest schedule of meetings and conflict dates is included in M1/07-0368

5.a Meetings During the Reporting Period

AHGEMS: INCITS M1 Ad-Hoc Group on Evaluating Multi-Biometric Systems
AHGBEA: INCITS M1.4 Ad-Hoc Group on Biometrics and E-Authentication

(*) These AHGs have been re-authorized every 2 meetings of M1.

Meeting Number	Date	Location
Collocated INCITS M1 and TG meetings:     INCITS M1 (20th)     INCITS M1.2  (15th)     INCITS M1.3  (17th)     INCITS M1.4 (15th) AHGBEA (6th)     INCITS M1.5 (14h)     INCITS M1.6 (10th)	15/06/06 14/06/06 13-14/06/06 13/06/06 12/06/06 12-13/06/06 12-13/06/06	Falls Church, VA Host: Mitretek Systems
Collocated INCITS M1 and TG meetings      INCITS M1 (21st)      INCITS M1.2  (16th)      INCITS M1.3  (18th)      INCITS M1.4 (16th)             AHGBEA (7th)      INCITS M1.5 (15th)      INCITS M1.6 (11th)	27/10/06 23-24/10/06 25-26/10/06 23/10/06 26/10/06 25/10/06 24/10/06	Brookline, MA   Hosts: Aware Viisage Motorola Retica Systems
Collocated INCITS M1 and TG meetings:       INCITS M1 (22nd)      INCITS M1.2  (17th)      INCITS M1.3  (19th)      INCITS M1.4 (17th)             AHGBEA (8th)      INCITS M1.5 (16th)      INCITS M1.6 (12th)	14-15/12/06 11/12/06 12-13/12/06 14/12/06 13/12/06 11/12/06 12/12/06	Northern VA Host: Booz Allen Hamilton
Collocated INCITS M1 and TG meetings      INCITS M1 (23rd)      INCITS M1.2  (17th)      INCITS M1.3  (19th)      INCITS M1.4 (20th)             AHGBEA (9th)      INCITS M1.5 (16th)           INCITS M1.6 (12th)	22/03/07 20/03/07 20-21/03/07 19/03/07 19/03/07 21/03/07 16/03/07	Pasadena, CA   Host: Cogent Systems           Falls Church, VA Host: Noblis
Collocated INCITS M1 and TG meetings:       INCITS M1 (24th)      INCITS M1.2  (18th)      INCITS M1.3  (20th)      INCITS M1.4 (18th)      INCITS M1.5 (17th)            INCITS M1.6 (13th)	07-08/06/07 07/06/07 04-06/12/07 06/06/07 05/06/07 05/05/07	Jupiter, FL   Host: CrossMatch Technologies         Fredericksburg, VA Host: Fall Hill Associates

5.b Next Year’s Meetings:

6. Liaison Activities

INCITS M1 maintains liaison with the following organizations to keep them abreast of INCITS M1 products, developments and positions and to address, as applicable, biometric-related issues within their national and international activities:

INCITS B10

The technologies addressed by INCITS B10 and INCITS M1 are, for some applications, complementary in nature. The potential contribution of INCITS M1 to the JTC 1 SC 17 projects (through INCITS B10) is apparent. In particular is the utilization of biometric data within travel documents and ID cards. Close and timely collaboration between these two INCITS TCs is maintained. JTC 1/SC 37 maintains close liaison relationship with JTC 1/SC17. For more information about INCITS B10 see http://b10.incits.org/

CS1

Strong synergy exists between biometrics and IT security. INCITS M1 and CS1 established a fruitful collaboration through liaisons and technical experts. A shown above, INCITS M1 technical experts are contributing with three projects under development in JTC 1 SC 27:

·         19790 “Information technology – Security techniques – Security requirements for cryptographic modules”

·         19792 “Information technology – A Framework for security evaluation and testing of biometric technologies”

·         24761 “Authentication Context for Biometrics (ACBio)”.

Further harmonization of biometric and related technology standards between the INCITS M1 program of work and new projects within SC27 will require major efforts from the INCITS M1 experts. JTC 1/SC 37 maintains close liaison relationship with JTC 1/SC27. For more information about CS1 see: http://cs1.incits.org/

INCITS V2

Current INCITS V2 activities may lead to collaboration opportunities with INCITS M1. Potential contributions of INCITS M1 to INCITS V2 work are possible in the next period, especially related to the utilization of biometric technologies and biometric data within the applications of interest to INCITS V2. For more information about INCITS V2 see http://v2.incits.org/

X9F4

The industries targeted by X9F4’s program of work are potential users of biometric technologies. INCITS M1 actively contributed (through JTC 1 SC 37) to Part 1 of the international counterpart of X9F4 (ISO TC 68) project 19092-1. Development of Part 2 of this international standard was apparently abandoned. For more information about X9F4 see http://www.x9.org/

BioAPI Consortium

The BioAPI Consortium was formed to develop a widely available and widely accepted Application Programming Interface to serve any type of biometric technology. This consortium is not active although information on INCITS 358-2002, BioAPI specification and its international counterpart and related standards is maintained in the BioAPI web site. Additional information about the BioAPI Consortium can be found at http://www.bioapi.org.

IBIA

The International Biometric Industry Association (IBIA) is a trade association, to advance, advocate, defend and support the collective international interests of the biometric industry.  IBIA is governed by and for biometric developers, manufacturers and integrators and is impartially dedicated to serve all biometric technologies in all applications. IBIA is the Registration Authority for the CBEFF specifications (INCITS 398 - NISTIR 6529-A and the revised version of this standard INCITS 398 rev and its international counterpart).. IBIA is also contributing to the work of JTC 1 SC 37/WG 6 via the submission of contributions and is represented in JTC1/SC 37/WG1. Additional information about the IBIA can be found at http://www.ibia.org.

OASIS

INCITS M1 and OASIS have established a Liaison relationship to address through a collaborative approach, the development of standards related to biometrics and web services. Both disciplines (biometrics and web services) are equally important to the content of the standard.  Experts in both areas contribute their expertise to ensure that the final specifications provide the right structure, functionality, and technical details required. INCITS M1 is completing the development of the Biometric Identity Assurance Services (BIAS) standards under INCITS M1.2 with OASIS' expert collaboration. OASIS is developing a web services-related project with collaboration from INCITS M1.2 experts.

VoiceXML Forum

INCITS M1 and the VoiceXML Forum established a Liaison relationship to support the development of a speaker recognition data format. INCITS M1 has an ongoing project for the development of this biometric data interchange format in INCITS M1.3.  Experts from the VoiceXML Forum, through our Liaison relationship, have contributed to this project and are collaborating with INCITS M1.3 in the development. The national draft was recently contributed to JTC 1/SC 37.

7. Membership and Officers

The membership lists for INCITS M1 and its TGs are available on the INCITS M1 website under "members". The officers of INCITS M1 and its TGs are shown below (as of June 2006).

.

a. Officers

INCITS M1 Task Groups:

b. Membership

Membership List

8. Future Trends and Related Technical Activities

Deploying new information technology systems for homeland security require a comprehensive set of both national and international technically sound standards for biometrics that meet the U.S. needs. Biometric technologies are already playing a crucial role in a wide range of applications. Standardized biometric-based solutions are becoming a mandatory requirement in many of these applications. In addition to supporting homeland security and preventing ID fraud, biometric-based solutions are able to provide for confidential financial transactions and personal data privacy. Enterprise-wide network security infrastructures, the protection of buildings from unauthorized individuals, employee IDs, secure electronic banking, investing and other financial transactions, retail sales, law enforcement, and health and social services are already benefiting from these technologies. A range of new applications can be found in such diverse environments as amusement parks, banks, mobile devices, passport programs and driver licenses, colleges, and school lunch programs. Biometric technologies are being required in multiple government and commercial applications.

The importance of biometric technologies has dramatically increased. Homeland defense is now the highest of priorities for many countries. These countries are now seriously considering or have already approved new legislation that calls for the investigation and use of biometric technologies as soon as possible for homeland defense applications. The prevention of ID theft will also become a significant market for biometrics in the future. New trends, industry initiatives and technology innovations in Information and Communication Technologies present challenges to open systems standards development bodies. INCITS M1 is rising to these challenges by examining innovations in biometrics technologies and authentication systems and by working to support new customers’ needs. INCITS M1 completed the first generation of biometric standards, and started revision projects for the biometric data interchange formats. INCITS M1 has also started the development of a number of conformance testing methodology standards including methodologies for many of the data interchange formats as well as for biometric technical interfaces such as BioAPI and CBEFF. It is also concurrently considering new projects to complement and enhance functionality of the existing standards and to meet new user’s requirements.

Accounting for systems developers, resellers and the influence that biometrics will have in other industries and the IT industry (i.e., security industry), biometric technologies are a substantial catalyst for the global IT market in these applications. The expected growth of the biometrics market and new requirements for personal recognition systems, however, is placing a greater demand on the national and international biometric industry involved in standards developments, biometric system developers, researchers and end-users. The national and international biometric standards bodies’ efforts are helping to ensure that standards-based systems and applications that require these biometric standards would be more interoperable, scalable, reliable, and secure. Biometric technology innovations and new customer’s needs require a second generation of biometric standards (e.g,  3-D face, biometric interfaces, application profiles, new data formats). The INCITS M1 portfolio is expected to grow. This demand is expected to lead to new projects and revision of the published standards.

9. Other Administrative Information

Financial Statement:

INCITS M1 meeting activities are financed and hosted by volunteer organizations. The individual participants and their member organizations finance all travel, room, and related business expenses. INCITS M1 has no direct financial activities.

Web-based/electronic document distribution procedures:

From its inception in November 2001, INCITS M1 has operated through electronic document distribution (INCITS M1 reflector for members). All INCITS M1 documents are posted in a web-based document register. Documents are posted in the document register by INCITS personnel. INCITS M1 and INCITS M1 TG officers have access to an automated document numbering system. 

The full details (company, address, phone, e-mail etc.) of INCITS M1 and INCITS M1 TG officers are available on-line through the INCITS web site. At the present time, INCITS M1 does not have a web-based Letter Ballot scheme in place.  The INCITS M1 officers are responsible for issuing the INCITS M1 letter ballots electronically through the INCITS M1 email reflector.

Documents for each meeting (INCITS M1 and its TGs) are posted in advance according to the INCITS rules and offered to the INCITS M1 membership in ZIPPED files posted in the INCITS M1 web site before the meetings. JTC 1 SC 37 documents can be downloaded through Livelink.

Recommendations:

INCITS Staff and the JTC 1 SC 37 Secretariat are doing a great job keeping up with demands of national and international accelerated standards development schedules. INCITS staff has done a great job in maintaining INCITS M1 information in the M1 web site up to date. They respond to requests for posting documents very quickly and therefore, INCITS M1 officers and membership are very pleased with them. INCITS M1 has closely interacted with INCITS’ staff to address the impact of the adoption of international standards, the possible withdrawal of national standards and the availability of withdrawn standards to users that have required conformance to these standards as well as providers that need to meet these users' requirements.

The update of the voting tables both for TC and TGs helped conduct INCITS TC/TG business. Upon updating the RD2, it might help if any change is identified (different test color, track changes, etc).