About NBSP
NBSP provides broad support to government and private sector efforts to standardize,
test, acquire, and deploy biometric technology with robust testing, training and
research capabilities:
Test Services
NBSP's biometric testing programs are designed to meet stringent requirements in
the objective test and evaluation of available and emerging biometric products.
Within this program, a variety of tests are performed.
The QPL testing program, conceived and first commercialized by NBSP,
includes both performance and standards conformance testing. Key benefits of the QPL
are a reduced need for repetitive tests of products by each acquiring organization
thus saving the buyer/user money and time and a shorter sales cycle for vendors whose
products qualify. The QPL test program has been adopted by the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) which initiated its own version of a QPL for biometric products to
be used in airports. Current U.S. Department of Defense procurements call for the
implementation of a QPL for DoD products.
Performance and conformance testing are complemented by a broad range of custom testing
capabilities include development tests, comparative testing, interoperability and
vulnerability testing, among others.
Training Services
NBSP conducted an extensive analysis of biometric community needs to determine what
training program users, operators, and practitioners would find most beneficial. NBSP
then developed curriculum to fill identified gaps in available biometric training with
courses ranging from a biometrics orientation course to a comprehensive Biometric technical training course.
Research
NBSP's applied research program supports: (1) improvements in the performance and
integration of available and proven technology; (2) improvement in the resistance to
threats against the technology by development of effective countermeasures; (3)
examination of new technology for application in infrastructure protection, and (4)
assessment of the social impact of technology application on the general population.
In regard to the issue of social impact, NBSP researched and prepared two comprehensive
reports which assess the use of biometrics under current U.S. Federal laws, as well as
a related examination of such use under international laws on privacy and personal data.
NBSP also developed a definitive Protocol for the Collection, Use, Dissemination, and
Storage of Biometric Data to comply with U.S. Law.
Requirements Definition
A key factor in evaluating the development or deployment of biometric technology is a clear
understanding of application-specific requirements. Pre-deployment planning and decision-making
are critical to successful biometric system installation. NBSP’s application support services
have been expanded to address deployment considerations such as requirements definition;
articulation of program goals and objectives, vulnerability assessments, application
impact studies, life-cycle cost analyses and privacy impact assessments just to name a few.
Standards Development
NBSP has been a supporter of NIST standards efforts since its inception and has continued that
activity with expansion into international standards activities in recent years. NBSP serves
as a primary voting member for the International Committee for Information Technology (INCITS),
M1 Biometrics, subgroups M1.5, Biometric Performance Testing and Reporting and M1.6,
Cross Jurisdictional and Societal Issues. Over the years these efforts have contributed
to the increase in published standards from fewer than 15 when the program began to 65+ today.
|
