Biometrics are automated methods of recognising a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic including fingerprinting, retinal and iris scanning, hand and finger geometry, voice patterns, facial recognition, and other techniques

Below is an A - Z guide of commonly used terms when discussing biometrics:

Attempt
The submission of a biometric sample to a biometric system for identification or verification. A biometric system may allow more than one attempt to identify or verify.

Behavioural biometric
A biometric which is characterised by a behavioural trait that is learned and acquired over time, e.g. a signature. See also physiological biometric.

BEM
Biometric Evaluation Methodology

BEM WG
BEM Working Group

BioAPI
Biometrics Application Programming Interface standard.

Biometric
A measurable physical characteristic or personal behavioural trait used to recognise the identity of an enrolee or verify a claimed identity.

Biometric application
The use to which a biometric system is put.

Biometric data
Extracted information taken from a biometric sample and used either to build a reference template on enrolment, or to compare against a previously created reference template.

Biometric feature
A representation from a biometric sample extracted by the extraction system.

Biometric sample
A biometric measure presented by the user and captured by the data collection system.

Biometric system
An automated system capable of capturing a biometric sample from an end user, extracting biometric data from the sample, comparing the data with one or more reference templates, deciding on how well they match, and indicating whether or not an identification or verification of identity has been achieved.

Note that in CC evaluation terms, a biometric system may be a product or may be (part of) a system for evaluation.

Biometric template
See template.

Capture
The process of taking a biometric sample via a sensor from a user.

CBEFF
Common Biometric Exchange File Format standard