Do you know what watermarking is in voice biometrics? It’s a method of digitally tagging audio. It involves embedding an inaudible marker, called an identifier, into an audio file. The goal is to protect the recording from unauthorized use and verify its authenticity.
Watermarking is a tool that significantly improves the security of voice biometrics systems, mainly by preventing voice-based attacks, so-called deepfakes.
In one of our tools, we developed this proprietary method, a unique technique that protects audio recordings from being used for voice synthesis or access. The method is currently in functional use.
Author: Katarzyna
Phase 2 of the Vesper project, a biometrics-based voice communicator, is nearing completion. During this phase, we worked on creating audio stream augmentation technology. We wrote about what this augmentation is here https://biometriq.pl/en/voice-stream-augmentation-what-is-it/
Our proprietary voice stream augmentation engine is currently undergoing perceptual (listening) and blind testing. Their goal is to provide an objective evaluation to confirm proper engine operation in line with the established quality parameters. Furthermore, the built-in voice stream augmentation technology in the voice messenger is designed to aid in detecting unauthorized voice use for further synthesis/conversion without causing degradation of sound to the human ear. This is all to prevent voice theft and ensure the most effective service performance.
It’s worth noting that solutions on the market such as SKYPE, ZOOM, DISCORD, Google Meet, TEAMS, WhatsApp, Signal, Threema, Viber, and Telegra do not support biometric caller authentication.
We are pioneers in this regard.
The comprehensive project completion is scheduled for September 2026.
In the first stage of the project, we mainly tested the far end voice stream source authenticity algorithm, which we informed you about here https://biometriq.pl/en/tests-of-a-voice-communicator-with-a-source-authenticity-detection-module-are-underway/
You can read more about the project on the website https://biometriq.pl/en/vesper-save-voice-communication-platform-with-integration-of-biometric-services/
Project financed by EU funds.
Are you curious about the final solution?
The first international standard for age-assurance technology has been published – ISO/IEC 27566-1:2025. This document establishes a framework for age-assurance systems and describes their core features, including privacy and security, to enable age-based eligibility decisions.
Access permissions refers to the term that authorizes access to applications or services. Definitions of age verification, age estimation, age inference, and subsequent validation are available here.
The standard’s main initiator is Tony Allen, head of the UK Age Check Certification System (ACCS), founder of the Global Age Assurance Standards Summit, and leader of the Australian Age Assurance Technology Research (AATT). He calls the publication of ISO 27566-1:2025 (which he co-authored) “a significant breakthrough in age assurance at the global level.”
A sample of the ISO 27566-1:2025 standard is available free of charge, but access to the full version of the document requires purchase. https://www.iso.org/standard/88143.html
more about the standard https://www.biometricupdate.com/202512/first-international-standard-on-age-assurance-sees-publication
source, photo https://www.biometricupdate.com
Vietnam continues to surprise. Hanoi is launching the country’s first metro system with biometrics, digital ID, and EMV payments. It is the first city in Vietnam to implement a metro system integrating biometric identity verification with digital ID data and open-loop payments (interoperable payment acceptance).
The upgrade includes digital ID infrastructure at all 12 stations on Hanoi Metro Line 2A.
The metro line is now equipped with multi-format readers that accept chip-based identification cards (CCCD), NFC cards, QR codes, and EMV-compliant bank cards. AI-enabled cameras at the ticket gates perform biometric matching with digital ID data, allowing passengers to pass through without having to show their ID cards.
The system is also integrated with the Ministry of Public Security’s RAR Center, enabling future ticket purchases through VNeID, Vietnam’s national digital ID platform and national transport hub.
Officials argue that the initiative strengthens Hanoi’s ambitions as a smart city and improves interoperability between different modes of transportation. It also introduces a unified digital identity layer for public transportation, something no other Vietnamese city can yet boast.
During the two-month trial period, the system served over a million passengers, enjoying great interest among younger passengers.
https://www.biometricupdate.com/202512/vietnam-integrating-biometrics-into-daily-life-in-digital-transformation-drive
- The voice biometrics market is relatively young, currently estimated at USD 2-3 billion, USD 2.6 billion according to the Mordor Intelligence report “Voice Biometrics Market Size, Forecast Report, Landscape 2025”.
- Depending on the source, forecasts assume growth of approximately $10-15 billion over the next 8-10 years.
- The leading region is North America – in the Fortune Business Insights analysis, the share in 2024 was nearly 37%.
- Asia-Pacific (APAC) is often cited as the fastest growing region in the coming years.
- The “Healthcare and Life Sciences” sector will be the leader in 2025 with a 40% market share.
- Growth is driven by: growing security requirements, the need for passwordless authentication, the development of voice and AI technologies, and the digitization of financial and contact services.
sources:
What distinguishes effective voice biometrics systems? The following four indicators determine the advantage of one system over another:
1. Accuracy rate, it means that the effectiveness of biometric systems should be in the range of 95-99%.
2. FAR (False Acceptance Rate), a metric that measures how often a system incorrectly accepts an unauthorized person (e.g., someone impersonating a user) as a valid user. In the most accurate systems, this rate is less than 1%. The lower the rate, the more secure the system and the more difficult it is to impersonate.
3. FRR (False Rejection Rate), a metric that measures false rejections, or the number of times the system rejects a genuine user when it should accept them. Ideally, this figure is below 3%.
4. EER (Equal Error Rate). The point at which the FAR equals the FRR, this metric is often used to compare the quality of biometric systems.
The most effective systems are generally considered to be Phonexia oraz ID R&D systems due to their outstanding performance in comparative tests.
In our research, we primarily use Phonexia engines, but we also utilize others such as Kaldi (X-vector) and ECAPA. The goal is to test our algorithms as extensively as possible in a diverse environment. Security is our top priority.
In biometric analyses, the recording itself, or more precisely, its quality, determines the effectiveness of the biometric system’s speaker recognition. It’s worth recalling what determines the quality of such a recording (audio signal). Therefore, the quality of the audio signal is primarily influenced by:
👉 acoustic conditions – noise level, reverberation and SNR (signal to noise ratio)
👉speech quality – naturalness of the voice, its loudness, coherence of articulation
👉 recording devices
👉 recording time
👉 technical parameters such as frequency and resolution.
However, it’s safe to say that the main factor determining quality is SNR. SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) stands for signal-to-noise ratio—a measure of signal quality relative to the level of interference. A high ratio indicates clear sound, free from background noise, which translates into high speech identification efficiency and more accurate analysis.
Recording time is also a crucial factor. Biometric systems require a minimum length of voice sample to extract characteristic features. A recording that is too short (1-2 seconds) may not be sufficient for reliable identification. A longer recording, on the other hand, does not directly improve quality, but it allows for better extraction of clear and repeatable fragments, which improves accuracy.
Therefore, the optimal recording length ranges from a few to a dozen or so seconds of speech.
Speech quality, in turn, encompasses not only the clarity of the recording but also naturalness, volume control, and consistent articulation. These elements influence the reliability of voice samples and the effectiveness of recognition algorithms. It’s important to remember that extreme values ​​(too quiet/too loud) can complicate analysis.
An open benchmark for assessing systems for detecting deepfakes and manipulated media content has emerged. It aims to help evaluate and improve algorithms for detecting audio, video, and image content generated by AI.
The shared dataset contains over 50,000 samples of real, AI-generated and manipulated audiovisual content—deepfakes and synthetic media—annotated with real-world use cases. Adversarial attacks allow for testing the model’s robustness.
Importantly, the license is granted for evaluation purposes only and is not intended for training or commercial purposes..
It’s a joint initiative of Microsoft’s Good Lab, Northwestern University’s Security and Artificial Intelligence Lab, and the nonprofit WITNESS.
Will it encourage researchers to use and share their own analyses?
more biometricupdate https://www.biometricupdate.com/202507/new-microsoft-benchmark-for-evaluating-deepfake-detection-prioritizes-breadth
A new form of payment using smart glasses has hit the market! Transactions can be completed using QR code scans and voice commands. Alipay’s smart glasses, created in collaboration with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu, are powered by voice authentication and intent recognition technology. Meizu, for its part, offers an optical waveguide display, voice noise reduction, and camera-based code capture technology.
Firma przeprowadziła właśnie swoją pierwszą transakcję płatniczą z wykorzystaniem portfela elektronicznego z wbudowanymi inteligentnymi okularami za pośrednictwem AlipayHK w Hongkongu.
The company has just completed its first payment transaction using an e-wallet with built-in smart glasses via AlipayHK in Hong Kong.
Ant Group plans to roll out the new feature to Alipay+’s global partners in 2025. Alipay+ is the company’s cross-border mobile payment solution that allows businesses to accept payments from mobile wallets across multiple countries, including Line Pay and GrabPay. The service currently connects over 1.7 billion user accounts across 36 mobile wallets.
more https://www.biometricupdate.com/202506/alipay-introduces-smart-glasses-payment-with-voice-authentication
What do you think about this form of payment? Could this service revolutionize the market? Do you see its applications in everyday life?
Can a bot be sincere? Can it express remorse when it apologizes? These are the questions researchers are asking themselves in the context of the possible use of AI in handling complaints.
This is about automating the entire process. While its operation seems to be easy, the most difficult challenge may be showing emotion by the bot, in this case an apology.
Research suggests that when people expect an apology, they expect sincere contrition and authenticity. Spontaneity is also important, and these are typical human traits that a machine can’t always handle perfectly. So how reliable can an apologetic AI be?
more on biometric update https://www.biometricupdate.com/202505/apologetic-intelligence-should-bots-handle-complaints