USING BIO-METRICS IN A ACCELERATOR PERONNEL SAFETY SYSTEM*N. W. Williams†, J. Reich, BNL, Upton, NY 11949, USAAbstract
Local key trees were installed at the counting houses tominimize the time it takes for the Relativistic Heavy Ion
Collider (RHIC) users to access the experimental areas.
To further streamline the process, iris scanners are being
used to verify the C-AD Access training required torelease the access keys. Iris scanner technology waschosen based on its high reliability rating. Its rate of false
identification is a factor of a 1000 lower than hand reader
technology. This ensures more accurate tracking of users
accessing beam enclosures. The advantages anddisadvantages for using iris scanners in an experimental
access system will be presented.

1. INTRODUCTION

Fig. 1
In addition the user acceptance of iris scanner is very
favorable in comparison to other biometric technologies(fig. 2)

From our experience of operating the RHIC over the past
two years, we established that the time required forexperimenters to access the beam enclosures took longer
than expected or was acceptable. Under the original
process for controlled access, an experimenter wasrequired to travel 2-3 miles to the Main Control Room(MCR) to get access keys and have their training verified.
This took an average of one hour for a short entry into anenclosure. To reduce the access time, local key trees wereinstalled in the experimental counting houses. Iris
scanners were installed to streamline the process ofverifying C-AD User training required for access. It now
takes experimenters 15-20 minutes to obtain access totheir enclosures.

2. ACCESS CONTROLS SYSTEM
Most modern accelerator access control systems use PLCsfor logic control. To streamline the access process
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has incorporated
biometrics into the RHIC and NASA Space Radiation
Laboratory (NSRL) access systems. Iris-based
identification and verification technology has now gained
acceptance in a number of different areas.
Thetechnology in its early days was fairly cumbersome andexpensive, however, recent technological breakthroughs
have reduced both the size and price of iris recognition(also know informally as iris scan) devices. This, in turn,has allowed for much greater flexibility ofimplementation. Iris-based biometric technology has
always been an exceptionally accurate one, and it may
soon grow much more prominent.
The exceptionally high levels of accuracy provided byiris recognition technology, claimed to have a false
acceptance rate of 1 in 1078, broadened its applicability tohigh-risk, high-security installations.

Fig. 2

3. IMPLEMENTATIONThe Iris Access networks at RHIC consist of six remotescanners and an enrollment system (see fig. 3).

Fig. 3, typical configuration.

Using transaction-encrypted, TCP/IP communication, theIris Access system can control access to a primary area
using the outreach of the organization’s Intranet, and up to254 remote doors over the Internet.
A typical iris access system at a RHIC access gateconsists of a key tree box (five keys), a remote iris cameraand engine (see fig. 4).

Fig. 64 CYBER SECURITY

Fig. 4The server’s software has two major elements — a data
component, which stores IrisCode® records, and aprocessing engine that enrolls IrisCode records andperforms real-time matching. The server enrolls the image
into the database while establishing links to theenrollment information database. During recognition, theKnoWho Authentication Server accepts an iris image andperforms a high speed, real-time, exhaustive search tomatch the IrisCode templates. The MCR operator reviews
the record, which is logged (see Fig. 5).

In addition to the native security measures implemented
in the iris access software, a network configuration
employing multiple layers of firewalls was installed. A
dedicated firewall consisting of a Cisco PIX 500 Series
firewall with standards-based IPsec Virtual Private
Networking (VPN). This is located between a department
level firewall with ACL network switches and PC server.

Fig. 7IntFig. 5
The C-AD training section administers the enrollment
database. Prior to being enrolled, a user’s C-AD accesstraining is verified. Figure 6 shows an enrollment activity
being executed in MCR.

5 ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES FOR
USING IRIS SCANNERS
Advantages
Some of the benefits for using the iris scanner include:• Reduction of the turn around time for user accessinto the experimental areas. Since the accesskeys are located at the counting houses, accessthat used to take an hour has been reduced to 15 20 minutes. This is very important to the users
since it resulted in more beam time.
• Verification that a user’s access training is valid
prior to releasing a token. Each user is required
to take annual department specific training
before they are allowed to use the facility. The
training group administers this training andenrolls users into the iris access database.
• Highest user acceptance of all the biometrictechnologies. Iris scanners are very accurate witha false acceptance rate of 1 in 1078.
• Minimal training to configure the IrisAccesssoftware since it is Windows based. Automatic
logging of scanned personnel during accessprovides accurate tracking and archiving.
• No known health effects. Users were initiallyconcerned about the health effects from using irisrecognition system. The iris scanner takes avideo picture of your iris, unlike a retinal scannerthat uses a laser to map the retina.
• Identification occurs in 2 seconds.
• CCD Camera is auto focus.
• No password or PIN to remember.
Disadvantages
Some of the disadvantages for using iris scanners
include:•••Significant administration to create and maintainthe iris access database. As users come in, theymust enroll into the iris access database. Whenusers’ training expire, they are manually removed
from the system and re-entered when theyreceive training once again.
The initial cost to implement the iris accesssystem at BNL is high. To date we have spent a
total of ~$60K on hardware and installation. The
incremental cost to install more remote iris units
is ~$5K per location.
To our surprise, the political aspect of using iris
scanners is the highest hurdle. Of ~ 1000 RHIC
users, 25% refused to enroll in the Iris Accesssystem. We had to provide legal assurance thatBNL would not release iris records to external
authorities (Homeland Security, etc.).

6 CONCLUSION
Using iris scanners in the C-AD access control system has
resulted in ensuring that only users with valid training
gain access into beam enclosures. From the user’s
perspective, iris scanners have increased the beam time
availability for physics due to shortened access time. Thishas also improved the ability for MCR to track users
during entries.

7 REFERENCE[1] IrisAccess v10 Entry Access Control
System, Iridian Technologies DocumentNumber: 101903, Iridian Technology, March18th, 2002
[2] How Iris Recognition Works, John
Daugman, PhD University of Cambridge,Cambridge CB2 3QG, U.K.
[3] Various internal documents, C-AD BNL