The drawback to massive Wi-Fi, Real time biometrics and PDAs Options

[Siege]

In a high-speed, wi-fi environment, would it become feasible for cops to either have a biometric scanner either wired to the car or a portable unit?

While "running prints" across all possible databases would be impractical for bandwidth issues, but hotsheets and a much smaller "wanted list" could be feasibly updated and maintained to local users.

The SR extrapolations are considerable.

-Siege

[mfb]

eh. that assumes that a) trode nets can pull biometric data that can be used to identify you in a reasonable amount of time, b) commlinks are designed to record and store this information, and c) the profile in your commlink makes this data available when you're not in hidden or passive mode.

and even if all that is true, it'd still be kid stuff to hack your commlink to broadcast fake biometric data. you wouldn't even want to use commlink-stored biometric data as a passkey--with a detailed enough medical record, you could create a false passkey from scratch.

[Siege]

Actually, I was thinking more literally.

With a PDA unit and a biometric unit -> either a fingerprint imager or a retinal scanner, officers should be able to get a record or reference a local database with minimum effort.

-Siege

Edit: Not literally, but more locally - not pulling biometric data through a comm unit.

Sorry for being unclear.

[eidolon]

Siege,

I would think that if one is able to surf the Matrix on a cellular connection, running prints from a squad car is a piece of cake. The LS certainly have that capability in my games.

Nasty, but if the Star has you, you've already screwed up. :)

[nezumi]

IRL, this is currently being done. I believe it was Philadelphia, where they're also deploying city-wide wifi. They've issued (or are in the process of issuing) handheld devices to police. With a few taps, police can download all the recent crimes in an area, plus the names and addresses of all local convicts.

I don't believe the fingerprinting will come in for some time. For one, processing finger prints taken off of objects takes MONTHS of waiting before it finally gets done. I guess it requires some work to deal with said finger prints. Fingerprinting people probably requires some highly sensitive equipment, plus up to five minutes as its compared to the FBI database (it may be faster if Philly has a state one, which I suspect they don't.)

Yes, in the future, I have no question they'll have portable finger print readers. Prices will drop and get more portable (and easier to maintain). Within ten minutes, download the file of any current or previous federal employee or criminal (funny how they get grouped together like that...) It'll be like Gattaca.

[Siege]

The Dekalb county jail in Georgia had several, high-profile accidental releases of high-threat offenders.

I think we can expect to see a dramatic increase in interest for this technology in the near future.

I've already seen "personal biometric passwords" for computers, although I haven't actually taken one apart to see how it works.

-Siege

[Fix-it]

with such a widespread system like that, it would be very likey it would be child's play to spoof it, with the right tools.

[Slump]

Um.. Don't credsticks (the ID variety, not certified) already have various biometric ID stuff, and if you're buying something expensive enough, they need your thumbprint scanned? Why wouldn't the cops have what every decent middling store has?

[nezumi]