What is Mind Set Daily?

What is Mind Set Daily? Well during the launch of this mini-podcast series it was unclear the direction of the show. Actually the format is still evolving though no matter what the underlying concept has been established and will remain and that is to report on and highlight various alternate news stories that you are most unlikely to hear about anywhere else. I also like to think of it as a way to hear more condensed topics that aren't always touched on our main podcast which is "The Mind Set Podcast". It is mainly hosted and produced by me but from time to time Gareth Davies from The Mind Set Central Network contributes to the series. He of course brings his own spin and production to the episodes because as mentioned it is always evolving.

Mind Set Daily strives to give you the most current alternate news possible. It is also bite sized for your fast paced world and each episode typically covers only one or two stories and it is usually no longer than 10 minutes long. Currently this podcast is airing twice a week on The Mind Set Central Network and eventually their are plans to have more episodes weekly. Some of the subject matter and news topics may include but are not limited to: big brother, conspiracies, future technologies, the police state and so much more!

It is my mission when you listen to leave you feeling informed and also perhaps inspire you to question things more. Thank you for listening and if you haven't yet you can subscribe for free here.

Biometric Identification - Science Fiction Meets Reality

In India, a massive experiment is underway to take a technology that was once a hallmark of science fiction and apply it to solving the nation’s greatest challenges.  A small group of entrepreneurs within the government have set out to identify to every one of their 1.2 billion residents by using biometric technologies, such as iris scans and fingerprints.

In the next few years, each man, woman and child will receive an “Aadhaar” 12-digit unique identification number.  For the poor in India, this would end a vicious cycle where a person cannot prove who they are, and thus they are denied what they are supposed to receive.  Now, using the features of the body, technology can identify someone in a matter of seconds.  There will no longer be a need for passports, driver licenses, or other old school paper based identification.

The goal is to enroll 600 million Indians in four years. Since the first enrollments in September 2010, the government has issued more than 200 million people an Aadhaar number – which is a population larger than any European nation.

Ultimately, the success of the program is not about the performance of technology, but the efforts of the people behind it.  The same systems that can bring accountability and transparency can be used for mass-surveillance and digitized discrimination.  Privacy laws are still outdated and ineffective.  With so many different government agencies now able to store and access personal information, the potential for abuse looms large.   Biometric identification has long been used for security purposes – now India will show the world how it can also be used to offer hundreds of millions their greatest chance at inclusion and a prosperous life.

On display for the world to see and to recognize the benefits of biometric identification and it's multitude of applications. Despite the positive uses we do know that once these technologies are used and accepted by the masses then their is no going back. For our greater good or for someone else's greater control? Maybe people are willing to accept that if it benefits their lives, just think about it...

Citizen Fingerprint Scanner Works from 20 Feet Away

Fingerprinting used to be an affair involving ink and paper and making actual prints. Now there's a new camera that can take pictures of your fingerprints from 20 feet away whether you want it to or not. Researchers are exploring better designs in biometrics to meet business and government demands for reliable identification and verification tools. Fingerprinting continues to be an accepted technique. Fingerprint-matching has been a mainstay in law enforcement but businesses now look toward fingerprinting systems for security management and access control.

A new startup, IDair, wants to make the difference. Its new fingerprint  scanner system (AIRprint) can read fingerprints from up to 20 feet away.

The person waves hand to sensor for identification verification--no stops at checkpoints asking for a ID card; no fumbling around for lost keycards. The machine is described as a touchless scanner. The fingerprint can be photographically captured with enough detail to match against a database. A selling point is that fingerprints are collected at a standoff distance so there is no need for people to touch a scanner pad, avoiding problems in accuracy.

The scenario is simple, in that the company places the scanner device on the door; the person sends prints to the system, which takes a snapshot when triggered and uses pattern recognition, edge detection and sharpening to scan the fingerprint, which is then compared to the database. The system is described as close to the way satellites process ground images. Additional layers of security like facial recognition can be piled on to make up a more robust, complete biometric profile of a person that provides that individual with access without the need for a key or passcode.

One potential use for this is commercial: an AIRprint system could be set up in a store, and instead of having to carry around a credit card or checkbook, you could just literally wave your hand in the air to identify yourself and pay for stuff. Wouldn't that be convient?

The other obvious use for AIRprint is for identifying people from a distance covertly. Heck, someone could have already scanned your fingers and you'd never know. There could be ways to fight the technology, although it's probably inevitable that if AIRprint proves to be a popular tool with law enforcement, it'll become illegal to wear gloves or walk around with your hands in your pockets. Would you have a problem with that? You don't have something to hide, do you? Well just think about it...