Systemic Functions and Research Gaps Addressed when Identifying Persons on the Move Using Mobile Phones at EU Borders

The number of passengers at EU Schengen borders increases. Also, the need to improve their seamless, performant and secure identification. Ubiquitous smartphones with capable sensors ask to be utilized for the identification as well as digital wallets and digitalized person identities. The paper proposes how to combine biometric services, ID document validation, and additional sensors with smartphone capabilities to identify persons on the move at air, port and sea borders. After pre-registration including the uploading of the digital identity in a digital wallet, taking face and fingerprint images with the phone, person ID document and biometric data is verified. Alternatively, persons can use registration desks, where ID documents are identified and uploaded again as digital identities. At the border, person identification in consent only is conducted. During walk- or drive-through, the mobile phone wallets are localized and identified using ultrasound. Persons are asked to take self-images of their face and fingerprints. In addition, through heartbeat detection person presence is assessed for anonymous body counting and tracing. A remote camera takes images of the face and the activity of self-filming of the face and fingerprints. Along with the process, identification evidence is sparsely collected and securely combined, including for cross-validation. Using a rule and risk-based approach, the uncertainty-aware person identification takes place. The article presents a compact system functional process schematic. It is supported by a tabular summary covering (i) objective of functions, (ii) related key performance indicators, (iii) expected challenges based on state of the art and technology, and (iv) detailed technical system function description allocating the functionality. The approach is motivated with ethic-informed design thinking, reliability and safety functional approaches and by comparing with more detailed semi-formal and tabular approaches. The schematic for smartphone-based identity identification is discussed, and a sample tabular row entry is provided.

Keywords: Person identification at EU borders, Digital wallet on smart mobile phone, On-the-move and drivethrough identification, ID document verification, System-level function design thinking, Tabular system level function feasibility assessment, systemic state of technology gap identification, technical solution allocation.