Adding to the mystique, biometrics has for years been in the domain of corporations, governments and the military, organisations which many associate with high technology and stringent security.
But like the microwave and Velcro, biometrics has trickled down into everyday life. The healthcare sector is increasingly adopting it for drug dispensing, and for identifying patients and users. Biometrics systems are installed in work places to keep track of time and attendance, while consumers see fingerprint readers integrated into portable computers and storage devices.
According to a report titled "The Future of Biometrics" by research consultancy Acuity Market Intelligence, the biometric market will experience sustained expansion through to 2017 with a compound annual growth rate of 19.69 percent.