data-mining for irises (12 billion of them): another minority report

U.N. Finds Novel Way to Keep an Eye on Afghans

(EXCERPT) Reuters Friday, November 8, 2002; 3:47 PM, by Gideon Long

LONDON (Reuters) - United Nations officials grappling with a flood of
refugees returning to Afghanistan have found a new way of keeping tabs
on them – by taking photographs of their eyes.

They are using the snapshots to build a database which enables them to
prevent refugees from fraudulently claiming more than one U.N. aid
package per person as they cross the border from Pakistan into
Afghanistan.

Iris recognition, as the technique is known, may sound like the stuff
of science fiction – it featured prominently in the futuristic film
"Minority Report" starring Tom Cruise.

But organizers say it is more effective than traditional methods like
finger-printing and has been well received – even by Afghan women,…

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28840-2002Nov8.html