The development of a test harness for biometric data collection and validation

Biometric test reports are an important tool in the evaluation of biometric systems, and therefore the data entered into the system needs to be of the highest integrity. Data collection, especially across multiple modalities, can be a challenging experience for test administrators. They have to ensure that the data are collected properly, the test subjects are treated appropriately, and the test plan is followed. Tests become more complex as the number of sensors are increased, and therefore it becomes increasingly important that a test harness be developed to improve the accuracy of the data collection. This paper describes the development of a test harness for a complex multi-sensor, multi-visit data collection, and explains the processes for the development of such a harness. The applicability of such a software package for the broader biometric community is also considered.