ABIS & Deduplication
Automated Biometric Identification Systems perform large-scale 1:N searches to resolve identities and detect duplicates.
Overview
ABIS platforms store and search biometric templates at national or global scale. Deduplication ensures each person has only one identity record.
How it works
- Capture biometric samples during enrollment.
- Extract features and store templates.
- Run 1:N searches to detect matches or duplicates.
- Adjudicate hits and maintain watchlists.
Common use cases
- National ID enrollment
- Border and visa vetting
- Civil or criminal watchlists
Strengths and limitations
Strengths: Scales to millions; prevents multiple identities.
Limitations: Infrastructure cost; privacy and governance.
Key terms
- 1:N search: Matching a probe against all records.
- Deduplication: Removing duplicate identities in a database.
References
Vendors using ABIS & Deduplication
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an ABIS do?
It searches biometric databases to identify individuals and flag duplicate enrollments across large populations.
What’s the difference between identification and verification?
Identification is 1:N (who is this?); verification is 1:1 (is this person who they claim?). ABIS primarily supports 1:N at scale.
How are false positives managed?
Systems tune thresholds and use adjudication workflows; quality checks and multi‑modal fusion reduce spurious hits.