BIOMETRICS

Fall 2009

Course Information

Biometrics: CS 4737 and CS 6737

Classroom: 415 CEPSR
Times: T TH 1:10 pm – 2:25 pm

Web page : http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/%7Ebelhumeur/biometrics/biometrics.html

Instructor

Prof. Peter N. Belhumeur
http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/%7Ebelhumeur
Email: belhumeur@cs.columbia.edu
Office: 623 CEPSR
Phone: 212-939-7087

Office Hours: Mon 8:30-10:00am

TAs
Thomas Berg
Email: tb2324@columbia.edu

Office: TA Room: http://ta.cs.columbia.edu/tamap.shtml

Office Hours: Wed (11am—1pm)

Ila Agarwal

Email: ia2196@columbia.edu

Office: TA Room

Office Hours: Tuesday (9am—11am)

Overview

The earliest known use of biometrics dates back to the 7th century during China's Tang Dynasty; during this period fingerprints were used to sign and validate contracts. Over the last century, biometrics -- the science for determining a person's identity by measuring his/her physiological characteristics -- has grown enormously. Technologies are being developed to verify or identify individuals based on measurements of the face, hand geometry, iris, retina, finger, ear, voice, speech, signature, lip motion, skin reflectance, DNA, and even body odor. In this course we will explore the latest advances in biometrics as well as the machine learning techniques behind them. Students will learn how these technologies work and how they are sometimes defeated. Grading will be based on homework assignments and a final project. There will be no midterm or final exam. Prerequisites: a background at the sophomore level in computer science, engineering, or like discipline.