computer science

IDENT (biometric identication system)

IDENT (biometric identication system) is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IDENT (biometric identication system) rather than just read about it. In short: The Automated Biometric Identification System, commonly known as IDENT, is an automated biometric identification system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to process and store biometric data, along with other relevant information (such as name, address, or date of capture, among others) for the purposes of "national security; law enforcement; immigration and border management; intelligence; backg…

Key takeaways

IDENT (biometric identication system) belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IDENT (biometric identication system) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IDENT (biometric identication system) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Automated Biometric Identification System, commonly known as IDENT, is an automated biometric identification system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to process and store biometric data, along with other relevant information (such as name, address, or date of capture, among others) for the purposes of "national security; law enforcement; immigration and border management; intelligence; background investigations for national security positions and certain positions of public trust" and "associated testing, training, management reporting, planning and analysis, or other administrative uses."

History IDENT began operation in 1994 and was developed by the now-dissolved Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). IDENT was later transferred to the DHS, where it was used as part of the US-VISIT program, but it later became more widely used by DHS as their central system for biometric data. The GAO has previously claimed IDENT is outdated, and DHS intends to replace it with the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART), which is not yet operational. DHS initiated development of HART in 2016, but it has faced many delays and budget cuts.

Use IDENT is used by a variety of U.S. agencies, including ICE, USCG, USCIS, DoS, DOD, and the DOJ, as well as investigative agencies at the federal, state, and local level. IDENT is also used by some foreign partners and international entities, such as INTERPOL. These agencies both search and submit their own data to IDENT. During the enrollment process, IDENT captures and processes fingerprints, faceprints, and iris scans. It generates a personal identifier or "enumerator" attached to biometric records to tie them to a given individual. If biometric data is later captured for an individual already in the system, that data will be attached to their enumerator.

Criticism IDENT and HART have faced scrutiny from civil and digital rights groups for collecting too much data, potentially chilling First Amendment protected speech, and posing a threat to civil liberties at large, as well as reinforcing biases, and being an invasive means of identification. HART is proposed to collect more data than IDENT, potentially including scars/marks/tattoos, DNA, voiceprints, and a blanket category titled "other modalities." It may also collect "relationship patterns" from individuals or organizations they believe "are indicative of violations of the customs and immigration laws, including possible terrorist threats".

References

External links Official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IDENT (biometric identication system)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IDENT (biometric identication system) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IDENT (biometric identication system) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IDENT (biometric identication system) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IDENT (biometric identication system)

In research: IDENT (biometric identication system) appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IDENT (biometric identication system) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IDENT (biometric identication system) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1994 establishments in the United States, 1994 software, Biometrics software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IDENT (biometric identication system) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IDENT (biometric identication system) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IDENT (biometric identication system) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IDENT (biometric identication system) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IDENT (biometric identication system) in simple terms?

Why does IDENT (biometric identication system) matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IDENT (biometric identication system)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IDENT (biometric identication system).