Identification Based on Individual Scent (IBIS)

The need arises to explore biometrics that can identify a person at crime scenes. One such biometric that can be collected non-cooperatively is an individual"s scent. The goal of human scent research is to facilitate to development of sensor systems, whether based on contact or non-contact method of odor collection. The research proposed herein will provide key foundational knowledge that will ultimately enable informed, intelligent design of sensors with high selectivity and low detection limits. In the Phase I period, we will collaborate with Dr. Stephanie Schuckers at Clarkson University for human scent subject collection and data analysis. This research will address several unanswered questions relevant to developing sensor systems for human odor detection, including the necessary VOCs and respective concentration, the confidence in uniquely identifying an individual when odor degrades over time, etc. Answers to these questions will not only aid in hardware design, but in signal analysis as well. Sensor systems will ultimately possess software that will determine signal quality, necessary enhancement levels, and automated matching tasks. The approach taken herein will propose a novel solution for non-cooperative biometric authentication, which will also influence the design of fingerprint, iris, and facial capture systems in the future.