Biometric technology has long been used by government and law enforcement agencies, but now biometric systems are increasingly moving into the markets of personal data management, plus other security including hospital security, school security, and home security.  That’s the findings of a new study conducted by London based ABI Research.

          Laptops, mobile phones, storage drives, safes, home alarm systems, and other personal devices will be embracing biometric technology even more in the years to come, therefore driving up revenue.  The combined growth in government, law enforcement, and private sectors for biometrics will drive spending on biometrics systems over the next five years up to $7.3 billion by 2013, that’s up from around $3 billion in 2008.

          "Biometrics players increasingly have to support both public and private sector demand.  It will be those that leverage the key biometric standards initially developed for the public sector but with scope for private sector deployments that will reap the benefits," says ABI Research principal analyst Jonathan Collins.

          In addition, notes Collins, "The wide variety of biometrics technologies available including face, fingerprint, iris, hand and speech recognition systems, as well as their differing characteristics, has created opportunities for vendors and systems integrators to help customers select the correct biometric measurement or combination of measurements for any application.  Increasingly the test for biometrics players will be to understand and supply both markets with a range of suitable, secure and trusted products and systems.”

            The ABI Research study is titled "Biometrics."  To learn more about the study go to http://www.abiresearch.com/products/market_research/Biometrics.