What type of technology is commonly used in biometric access control systems?

Biometric access control systems primarily rely on unique physical characteristics of individuals for authentication, making fingerprint recognition one of the most widely adopted forms of this technology. Fingerprint recognition works by analyzing and matching the unique patterns of ridges and valleys on an individual's finger, which are highly distinctive and difficult to forge. This method enhances security by ensuring that access is granted only to those whose biometrics have been pre-registered and authorized.

In contrast, magnetic stripe cards, PIN codes, and mechanical keys represent traditional access control methods that do not rely on individual biometric features. For instance, magnetic stripe cards can be lost or duplicated, PIN codes can be forgotten or shared, and mechanical keys can be stolen or copied. These alternatives do not provide the same level of security because they do not inherently validate the identity of the individual attempting to gain access.