The biometrics industry is young but growing quickly: sales are supposed to swell to $900 million in 2005 from $300 million today, according to research firm IDC. And with the specter of September 11 placing a premium on safeguarding airports and office buildings, governments and corporations worldwide are studying biometrics. “The interest level has gone through the roof,” says Damon Wright, spokesman for industry heavyweight Identix.
Though Identix is headquartered in Minnesota, West Virginia is making a bid to become the nexus of the nascent industry. The FBI already maintains its Automated Fingerprint ID System in the state, which stores the electronic prints of more than 43 million people with criminal records. The proximity of the government has also drawn a half-dozen other biometrics companies to the state’s I-79 corridor, a region once better known for its poverty levels.
Some in the industry are a little guarded about short-term prospects. Companies like Identix say that many prospective buyers are waiting until the government sets an unofficial standard by choosing one or a combination of biometrics for its own use. There are many new technologies to consider, like one that senses people’s distinct odor. But once those key choices are made–most likely favoring a combination of fingerprint and retinal scanning–experts say the industry will likely grow sharply. That will mean not just better security for everyone, but job security for those in the field.
