Biometric Passports by October '05?

US passports issued after October 2005 will include chips containing images of the holder's face, which can be checked against a facial scanner. Or at least that's the plan.

Tests of iris and other biometric scanning systems in the UK and elsewhere have yielded discouraging results. Iris readers have proved difficult to aim correctly, and the process of validating identities is slower than planned... leading to longer delays at airports. As a result, some observers are declaring the biometric technology too immature to put into production.

Source: Nature