The field of biometric recognition - automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioural and biological characteristics - has now reached a level of maturity where viable practical applications are both possible and increasingly available. The biometrics field is characterised especially by its interdisciplinarity since, while focused primarily around a strong technological base, effective system design and implementation often requires a broad range of skills encompassing, for example, human factors, data security and database technologies, psychological and physiological awareness, and so on. Also, the technology focus itself embraces diversity, since the engineering of effective biometric systems requires integration of image analysis, pattern recognition, sensor technology, database engineering, security design and many other strands of understanding.

The scope of the journal is intentionally relatively wide. While focusing on core technological issues, it is recognised that these may be inherently diverse and in many cases may cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. The scope of the journal will therefore include any topics where it can be shown that a paper can increase our understanding of biometric systems, signal future developments and applications for biometrics, or promote greater practical uptake for relevant technologies:

Development and enhancement of individual biometric modalities including the established and traditional modalities (e.g. face, fingerprint, iris, signature and handwriting recognition) and also newer or emerging modalities (gait, ear-shape, neurological patterns, etc.)

Multibiometrics, theoretical and practical issues, implementation of practical systems, multiclassifier and multimodal approaches

Soft biometrics and information fusion for identification, verification and trait prediction

Human factors and the human-computer interface issues for biometric systems, exception handling strategies

Template construction and template management, ageing factors and their impact on biometric systems

Usability and user-oriented design, psychological and physiological principles and system integration

Sensors and sensor technologies for biometric processing

Database technologies to support biometric systems

Implementation of biometric systems, security engineering implications, smartcard and associated technologies in implementation, implementation platforms, system design and performance evaluation

Trust and privacy issues, security of biometric systems and supporting technological solutions, biometric template protection

Biometric cryptosystems, security and biometrics-linked encryption

Links with forensic processing and cross-disciplinary commonalities

Core underpinning technologies (e.g. image analysis, pattern recognition, computer vision, signal processing, etc.), where the specific relevance to biometric processing can be demonstrated

Applications and application-led considerations

Position papers on technology or on the industrial context of biometric system development

Adoption and promotion of standards in biometrics, improving technology acceptance, deployment and interoperability, avoiding cross-cultural and cross-sector restrictions

Relevant ethical and social issues