Mumbai, June 19, 2005, Srinivas Laxman (TOI)

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India's nuclear weapon laboratory at Trombay, has developed a new security system which scientists claim is terrorist-proof.

Called 'Hand Scan Biometric System', it establishes the identity of an individual, and prevents unknown persons from gaining access to sensitive and strategic locations of various establishments. Security experts said that its significance has to be gauged against fake identity cards of the employees being used sometimes, which has jeopardised the safety of an organisation.

Explaining how the new technology operates, head of BARC's computer division PS Dhekne and DG Joshi also of the same department told TOI that details of an employees hand - either left or right - are first registered into the system and the person is assigned a personal identification number (PIN).

While entering the workplace, employees have to punch in their PIN and place their hand in an imaging unit which is equipped with a hidden camera. The camera will instantly capture the image of the hand which has to match with the details given by the individual when he or she registered.

If it matches, a voice will say: "Thanks. Your identification has been verified." A signal will then be transmitted to a door's lock which will open, allowing the employee to enter. The process will be completed in four to five seconds.

Dhekne said four units have been installed in BARC in areas which are considered sensitive and strategic. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has placed it in three sensitive zones of the country and the feedback has been satisfactory.

The Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory has evinced interest in the unit. This is significant because powerful missiles like the nuclear-capable Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Nag are designed and developed there.

He said that BARC has transferred the technology to the Electronics Corporation of India in Hyderabad which will manufacture the unit and market it.

Said Joshi: "The system will ensure that unidentified persons do not enter a work zone." He said scientists have been working on the project for the last three years.

Added Dhekne: "I can confidently say that it is the first biometric system of its kind in the world in which a particular type of technology has been used. This has made it completely terrorist-proof. Biometric systems elsewhere have developed problems."