Missing art

We had a great time in Wisconsin learning watercolor. To get back into the natural environment and be inspired we went back to nature. This was a good reminder of our time in Wisconsin. 

Zentangle

This is a nice one that I scanned and colored with the iPad. The original was done on watercolor paper so I can paint it for real. 

AFIS on an iPod Touch

​I found this on LinkedIn's Biometrics Network forum... For those of you who may be interested, AFISLite Inc. has just finished their preliminary testing of a standalone AFIS on an iPod Touch. The test results were very good, so good in fact. that we can say now, with confidence, that smart devices are now capable of utilizing a standalone AFIS. The device and standalone AFIS also has the capability to connect and sync with a remote server. Exciting times...... Looking at their website it appears that they use their own encoding structure with a unique search algorithm. Find more about the company (but not the iPod touch stuff) at AFISLite Inc.

Iris Product Update from AOptix

I just got this update (below). It looks like AOptix is definately moving forward to establish itself within the iris-at-a-distance market.
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AOptix would like to bring you up to date on the latest news concerning the InSight™- our revolutionary approach to iris recognition.

AOptix Technologies announced that the InSight™ has been integrated with DaonEngine as part of the Daon's Advantage Program. An iris interoperability demonstration featuring the AOptix InSight™ can be seen at Daon's Reston, VA based Corporate Demo Center.

• AOptix and Microsoft have teamed up to bring advanced iris recognition capability featuring the InSight™ to Microsoft's Global Security Operations Center.
• AOptix recently demonstrated the InSight™ at DoD's Identity and Protection Management Conference in Minneapolis featuring recently released EBTS file integration software developed in conjunction with Aware which will enable full compatibility with DoD's ABIS database.
• AOptix has recently implemented an Access Control pilot utilizing the InSight™ at a North American defense facility.

The AOptix InSight™ is a revolutionary approach to iris imaging and recognition. Operating at a distance of 1.5 to 2.5 meters (5 to 8 feet), the InSight™ offers:
• Unparalleled process automation and subject ease of use.
• Blazing fast speed and throughput - 2 seconds total authentication time.
• Superior image quality and consistency for more accurate biometric matching.

This combination of ease of use, speed of operation, and consistent high quality imaging makes the InSight™ ideal for a range of high security and/or high throughput access control applications including:
• Restricted area access (secure rooms, data centers, etc)
• Secure facility access
• Perimeter/gate control

Fuzz Testing

Fuzz testing is an interesting concept...and one that I believe we should look into for the testing being done for the ABIS and other identity systems. Fuzz testing is different than the normal development operational testing that is done by ATEC and other agencies in DOD. Fuzz testing is more like a brute-force testing approach. "Fuzzing" persistently tests a system by submitting random inputs to the system and evaluates the responses.

This is helpful when testing complex systems that are too complicated for the testing of all the various test scenarios and inputs. It also is automated, so there are fewer data collectors and test users required.

Mr Herbert Thompson in his article (http://www.ddj.com/architect/221900780) on Fuzz Testing points out that fuzzing has credited to finding vulnerabilities in Windows 7, iPhone, and Android computing platforms.

The importance of fuzz testing of the identity systems is especially important as we move to XML schemas for data sharing.

Telework and Snow Days

Government Computer News had an interesting article on how the recent "Blizzard of '09" could be used to test out telework capabilities. It also points out that teleworkers would still be productive and working, while the rest of the federal workforce is getting an extra paid day off. Certainly, teleworking can benefit both the employee and the government.

http://www.1105newsletters.com/t.do?id=3962399:10402253

Yerba Mate tea

OK, it's not actually a tea, but rather a drink all it's own...but I discovered it through a tea source and you make it like a tea. It's origins are from South America. The Yerba Mate tree is a relative of the holly bush. An infusion, brewed from the dried leaves and stems of the tree, is consumed by millions of South Americans as a healthful alternative to coffee. Deemed “the green gold of the Indios” by Europeans, yerba mate possesses a multitude of health benefits.

Yerba Mate looks and tastes similar to a green tea. But it's not a tea. Different plant, different process. I found the explanation below online.

A green tea is one that is not fermented and not roasted. Healthwise, green teas are superior to oolong and black teas as many of the beneficial antioxidant compounds are protected by the green tea production process. Black teas may taste sweeter because they are fermented and then roasted, but this flavor comes at the expense of its life giving properties. Just like in nature, green is life giving.

While yerba mate and green tea share many of the same benefits, (antioxidants, polyphenols, flavenoids, bio flavenoids, and theophylline) modern science shows that yerba mate has 52 more active compounds than green tea. There are 196 active compounds in yerba mate compared to the 144 found in green tea. In fact, yerba mate can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas.

Bottom line: It's one of the rare things that tastes good and is good for you!