USSOCOM seeks smartphone-based contactless iris biometrics for military ID The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is seeking companies and researchers that can turn ordinary Android phones and tablets into contactless iris collection devices capable of producing biometric images suitable for government identification systems. SOFWERX, working with USSOCOM’s Program Executive Office for Tactical Information Systems, plans to test whether cameras and lighting already built into commercial mobile devices can capture iris images of sufficient quality for matching and enrollment in the Defense Department’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS). The effort could reduce or eliminate the need for operators to carry a separate iris camera or connect additional biometric hardware to a tactical mobile device. USSOCOM said its objective is to reduce the physical and power burden of biometric collection equipment while preserving the image quality needed for reliable identification. Organizations interested in attending an initial collaboration event must apply by August 28. Participation is limited to U.S. citizens. The in-person event will be held September 30 at SOFWERX in Tampa, Florida. SOFWERX was established through a partnership intermediary agreement between USSOCOM and DEFENSEWERX to connect the command with companies, researchers and other potential technology partners. The proposed study will examine Android phones and tablets with built-in cameras to determine whether they can locate an iris in an image without a separate optical attachment and capture it at a resolution suitable for biometric matching. Testing is expected to include image distortion, differences among individual cameras, and the devices’ sensitivity to near-infrared light between 805 and 1,000 nanometers. USSOCOM said a previous study indicated that mobile device cameras could perform iris localization, but the results need to be tested against a larger and more varied population. The command estimates that images from 500 to 1,000 people would be sufficient to establish whether the