The Indian government’s Aadhaar project is set to get a big push from mobile phone makers in the near future. This will be made possible as biometric features like iris scanners will soon be seen in phones that cost as low as Rs 7,000.
As you all know, the Aadhaar card has fingerprint and iris scans. Government-approved phones with iris scanners will let people carry out transactions via their Aadhaar accounts, doing away with the need for paper.
We have warmed up to phones with fingerprint scanners used for unlocking devices. In the case of Apple, with Touch ID you can even buy stuff off iTunes. But there are question marks over its capability for projects like Aadhaar, that is now even used for getting subsidy on LPG lines.
With Samsung and Microsoft, the introduction of iris scanners on mobile phones got a head start. Now it is up to brands like Micromax to make it happen on affordable devices. So, the question to ask is, how soon can these mobile brands cook up affordable phones for the Aadhaar project? Seems like that’s not far away now.
That’s because iris scanners are said to be cheaper than fingerprint scanners. And the cost of economics that comes into play will also help make them feasible for entry-level phones. But first...
What's an iris scanner?
An iris scanner on a phone will be no different from what we have come across till date. Your phone’s front-facing camera will come bundled with an IR-LED light that manages to scan your iris imprints, thereby unlocking the device.
US-based Delta ID, founded in 2011, is one of the first companies to offer it on mobile phones, making it accessible to the consumer.
Most mobile phone makers try to evaluate the value of adding features like biometric to devices. The learning for Delta ID over the years has been that the iris is far better than fingerprint ID, to implement it on mobile phone.Vivek Khandelwal, VP, Business Development, Delta ID
More About Iris Scanner
- 2-megapixel camera - good to scan both our eyes
- IR LED - emits light at near infrared frequency
- Not harmful for the naked eye - tested by STQC in India
Mobile Phones, Your ID
Fingerprint scanners on a phone are not a safe standard for Aadhaar. With biometric features on phones, we’re not far away from using our day-to-day device for IDing purposes. With a company like Delta ID, you’re getting the experience of a team which was part of the Aadhaar roll-out.
Companies like Intex, Micromax and even Samsung could line up affordable phones which are embedded with iris scanners and approved by STQC (the government agency meant for certifying such devices). And folks at Delta ID are confident that an entry-level phone for Aadhaar is doable.
The camera module used in an iris scanner costs less than module for the fingerprint scanner. The cost of economics is heavily in favour of iris, which played a big role in convincing the government to go with iris on a mobile.Vivek Khandelwal, VP, Business Development, Delta ID
Khandelwal gives us the assurance that the iris scanners built by their company for phones do not pose any security concerns. Also, no iris IDs are saved on the devices prescribed for these kind of purposes and is fully encrypted before it is sent.
Android’s Safe for Aadhaar
When it comes to security, there have been multiple instances over the years which never let us trust Android, as much as we’d like to. But if you take Delta ID’s word, they say it’s a far-fetched concern.
The Aadhaar ecosystem is as safe as Visa’s basis. It’s data is not on the internet, it is spread across limited end points via leased lines. So, even if someone tries to hack into it, those end points can be immediately closed up.Vivek Khandelwal, VP – Business Development, Delta ID
Also, one needs to understand that the iris IDs captured by the phone’s camera are not available to any application.
The entire process functions in a Real Time Operating System (RTOS) that’s running below the Android interface available to us. The encrypted data is sent across to the back end, only after the required security levels have been met. All this is done on leased lines, which are said to be more secure. But it remains to be seen how efficient the process will be when it’s actually implemented.
They Are Coming
Finally, Khandelwal lets the cat out of the bag, saying that multiple domestic brands are working to make these phones become a reality.
We are talking to domestic original equipment manufacturers for the same and you’ll hear more from us in the coming months.
After connecting with multiple mobile brands over this subject, our point of view is different from what Delta ID suggests. But for now, we’d take their word over ours.
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