Germany Begins Iris Scans at Frankfurt Airport

securitas writes "Deutsche Welle reports that at Germany's Frankfurt airport biometric iris scans of airline passengers have begun. The German government says that the six-month pilot project is part of Europe's 18-country Automated and Biometrics-based Border Checks initiative to improve 'border control routines' and domestic security, with a full-scale system to follow. The system uses an iris scan embedded in a passenger's machine-readable passport, which is compared to the passenger's iris with an onsite scan. Travelers must 'sign a data security document' and agree to be checked by border guards. The article also references the capability of an iris scan to determine drug and alcohol consumption. The European Parliament is considering replacing all of its traditional passports with a new European biometric passport by 2005. The IRISPASS system (press release) was built by Byometric systems, Iridian and Oki Electric Industry. More coverage at CNet/ZDNet, AP/USA Today and mirrors at AJC, and CNN."

Re:Minority Report

[chimpo13]

I'd start checking ebay for tinfoil lenses then.

So, tell me........

[Eradicator2k3]

...who is this "Iris?" Was she clothed when she was scanned and, most importantly is she seeing anyone?

I sense an opportunity for profit

[qewl]

*Gets to work on iris creation and replacement machine* *Puts away fake (novel) ID machine*

At least they aren't...

[pzycho]

At least they aren't Frankfurt scanning.

ACCESS DENIED!

[plams]

My dad always thought that the best security meassure for these iris scans would be some sort of icepick-like tip that pokes you hard in the eye if the scan fails.

Re:Iris changes

[Anonymous Coward]

well think of it as free govt. sponsored testing that could lead to early warning signs of serious eye problems ..... or not

They won't get me!

[Anonymous Coward]

My tin foil contact lenses will put a stop to that nonsense.

Well personally...

[Bingo Foo]

...I blame Ashcroft.

Why RMS objects to fingerprint scans...

[Anonymous Coward]

greasy, dirty or peeling skin on the finger can easily distort fingerprint-recognition, a factor that plays no role in the case of iris-recognition.

This, of course, is why RMS does not believe in fingerprint scans...

This will just make terrorist groups...

[Anonymous Coward]

...start using operatives who have no eyes. And then what will we do?

Re:Iris changes

[kolbeinn]

but the iris never changes from the eighth month of gestation until death.

So, does this mean that folks suffering from death (which is common and can manifest initially through pigment changes in the iris), etc... will have to go through a bigger hassle than the other passengers when traveling?

Re:So, tell me........

[senor_burt]

If it's a pilot project, why are the passengers checked?

Re:This will just make terrorist groups...

[ice cream koan]

That's easy, we'll keep moving all the big skyscrapers around so the blind terrorists can't find them anymore...

Thank goodness

[iminplaya]

this poor kid [noeyes.com] wasn't born in Germany.

Re:Unbalanced security

[kfg]

It's an endless battle. If countries carries on trying to defend themselves like they do now (mostly in the US, but also in other countries), they'll all turn into huge menacing police states.

But dude, we have to do it to protect our freedom and our way of life.

You're not against freedom and our way of life. . . are you?

KFG

Re:Iris changes

[ncc74656]

but the iris never changes from the eighth month of gestation until death.

So, does this mean that folks suffering from death (which is common and can manifest initially through pigment changes in the iris), etc... will have to go through a bigger hassle than the other passengers when traveling?

While it shouldn't be a problem for the dead guy (he has a bigger problem than getting past airport security), it could be a problem if you gouge out [imdb.com] someone else's eye to try to get past a scan.

Re:Iris changes

[demaria]

Nah, you can just check them in the cargo hold.

Re:ACCESS DENIED!

[NanoGator]

"My dad always thought that the best security meassure for these iris scans would be some sort of icepick-like tip that pokes you hard in the eye if the scan fails."

Boy you really gotta laugh at the guy that fails the test twice.

that's Iris' problem

[pyrrho]

wake me when they come for me.

This one time, in Frankfurt...

[roderick]

This is tangential at best. 9 years ago, I was on a college trip to Moscow that included a several-hour layover in Frankfurt. To get to the food areas, we had to go through customs. Absolutely starved and desperate to try a McDonald's that sold beer, several of us went through Customs together.

As the agent patted me down, which he did to everyone, he actually grabbed my crotch. Apparently this was a standard part of the pat-down, but it was news to me. Shocked, I blurted out the first word of German which came to mind: "Danke!" I turned eight shades of purple and we all laughed, then they let me through.

Woohoo! Gattaca! Europa! Europa!

[Slur]

Before I go into my shtick, a couple of puns and punlike semantic constructions. My apologies, some of them are horrible.

- Won't this be a problem for eyedentical twins?

- Your passport Mister Willard. "Eye don't think so!"

- Rods? Cones? Where the hell is my luggage?

- Sir, can you remove any loose change from your eyelids...

- Sorry maam, your scan keeps coming up "Grape Juice $2.95."

And an airline joke or two off the cuff...

1. Thank you for flying Air Lingus. Oh no, THANK YOU!
2. Will you be smoking or non-smoking Herr Schrodinger?
3.

Okay, now to the schtick.

Yes, isn't it wonderful. At last something macabre and frighteningly science-fictioney is crossing over into our lives, citizens. At last we can unite in glory, as one. Travel is a very cautious affair, citizens. I ask you, should we not take every possible precaution?

So you see.

There is no deriding this measure, my fellows.

It follows then, that we should adopt a similar solidarity in our daily lives. We are one body. We are one, whole, together.

The 21st century is here! Let's do the 21st Century Cheer!

DNA!
DNA!
Nanobots! Nanobots!
DNA!

Siss Boom Bah!
Gat Ta Ca!
Iris scans! Cyberspace!
Siss Boom Bah!

Human clones!
Reality shows!
Dick Clarke's corpse is still alive!
Human clones!

Martian brine!
GMO wine!
The spice must flow! We rule the soul!
We're free, cool, and fine!

Terror War!
What's it for?
Raining death from outer space!
Terror War!

Woohoo! We love you Twenty First Century!! Big kiss! Mmmwwwahh!