IDEMIA Enhances INTERPOL’s Biometric Capabilities with New MBIS 5 System

IDEMIA Public Security (IPS) has delivered an upgraded version of the Multibiometric Identification System (MBIS) to INTERPOL, enhancing the international law enforcement organization’s biometric identification capabilities. The new system, designated MBIS 5/MBSS, integrates with INTERPOL’s existing Bio HUB infrastructure and provides advanced algorithmic solutions for processing fingerprints, facial images, and other biometric data.

The system upgrade represents a significant advancement in INTERPOL’s biometric identification capabilities, which have become increasingly critical in combating international crime. According to INTERPOL, the MBIS 5/MBSS enables authorized users in member countries to query its database using multiple biometric modalities, including fingerprints and facial images.

IDEMIA’s algorithmic solution recently achieved top ranking in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) latent fingerprint benchmark for forensic identification (ELFT – 2024), demonstrating its accuracy in processing challenging biometric data. The system supports regular updates to maintain performance levels and adapt to emerging requirements.

The collaboration between IDEMIA and INTERPOL dates back to 1999, when IDEMIA provided INTERPOL’s first Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). In 2016, INTERPOL expanded its capabilities by implementing IDEMIA’s facial recognition technology to create the INTERPOL Face Recognition System (IFRS), which now contains facial images from more than 170 member countries. The organization further enhanced its biometric capabilities in 2019 by upgrading to a comprehensive Multibiometric Identification System.

“With the delivery of this new version of the Multibiometric Identification System, INTERPOL now benefits from the most advanced algorithms, enabling it to solve the most complex cases,” asserted Thibaut Sartre, Senior Vice President of International Justice & Public Safety at IDEMIA Public Security. “This project reinforces our collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our longstanding, 20-plus year partnership with INTERPOL.”

The implementation of MBIS 5/MBSS comes as law enforcement agencies worldwide increasingly rely on multimodal biometric systems to address complex identification challenges and cross-border criminal activities.

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November 8, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team