VOA慢速英语2021--在迪拜机场 眼睛成了旅客的护照

In Dubai, airport passengers are now being offered the chance to use their eyes to confirm their identity without the need to show any documents.

The system was launched as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has pointed¹ to the program as a tool to help control the spread of the new coronavirus because it does not require airport passengers to have contact with other people.

The system uses a biometric method. Biometric systems are designed to collect biological data that is unique to each person in order to identify individuals. Facial recognition is one kind of biometric method. Such systems use similar methods to those used in fingerprinting² technology.

The system in Dubai uses equipment to scan a person's iris³, the colored part of the eye. This requires passengers taking part in the program to look directly into a camera so biological data can be collected.

The use of eye scan systems has become more widespread across the world in recent years because of concerns about the accuracy of facial recognition technology. Iris biometrics are considered more dependable than systems that scan people's faces from a distance.

At Dubai's airport, the world's busiest for international travel, people could be seen stepping up to an eye scanner after checking in for their flights. After looking into the camera, they were approved to pass through passport control within seconds. The passengers did not need to carry paper tickets or use electronic documents to complete the process.

Officials in Dubai say the document-free passage is possible because the scan connects a person's iris data to the state's facial recognition database. The system is a partnership⁴ between airline company Emirates and Dubai's immigration office. Officials say the system quickly moves travelers through an automated⁶ process from check-in to boarding the plane.

Major General Obaid Mehayer Bin⁷ Suroor is deputy director of Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs. He told The Associated Press, "the future is coming." He said the system had become very "smart," taking only five to six seconds to complete the scanning process.

But just as with facial recognition technology, the program has added to fears of disappearing privacy for individuals. The UAE has already faced international criticism for targeting journalists and human rights activists⁸.

In a privacy statement relating to its biometric system, Emirates says the airline links passengers' faces with other personally identifying data, including passport and flight information. It adds that the information can be kept for "as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected."

All collected biometric data is stored within the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs," Emirates says on its website. The airline adds that its methods are in line with the European Union's law on data protection and privacy. The data can, however, be used "across the airport for identification purposes," Emirates said.

Bin Suroor said all personal passenger data kept by Dubai immigration officials is completely protected so that "no third party can see it."

Jonathan Frankle is a doctoral student in artificial intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He told the AP that "any kind of surveillance technology raises red flags, regardless of what kind of country it's in." But, he added, "in a democratic country, if the surveillance technology is used transparently¹⁰, at least there's an opportunity to have a public (debate) about it."

Even with concerns about overreaching surveillance in the UAE, the country's massive facial recognition network only shows signs of expanding. Last month, UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced new testing for facial recognition systems. He said the technology is meant to reduce the amount of paperwork needed for "some private sector¹¹ services."

Words in This Story

unique – adj. very special or unusual

scan – v. to look at the inside of something by using a special machine

accuracy – n. how correct or exact something is

automate⁵ – v. to use machines and computers instead of people to do work

artificial intelligence – n. the power of a machine to copy intelligent human behavior

surveillance - n. the act of carefully watching activities of people especially in order to control crime or the spread of disease

transparent⁹ – adj. being open and honest about something

private sector – n. businesses and industries that are not owned or controlled by the government

1 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

2 fingerprinting   

v.指纹( fingerprint的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Institutions from banks to pawnshops are fingerprinting to authenticate transactions. 从银行到当铺，都在使用指纹识别对交易进行验证。 来自互联网
• In addition, a digital fingerprinting algorithm based on binary codes is described. 介绍了一种二进制指纹编码方案。 来自互联网

3 iris   

n.虹膜，彩虹

参考例句：

• The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。
• This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

4 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

5 automate   

v.自动化；使自动化

参考例句：

• Many banks have begun to automate.许多银行已开始采用自动化技术。
• To automate the control process of the lathes has become very easy today.使机床的控制过程自动化现已变得很容易了。

6 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

7 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

10 transparently   

明亮地，显然地，易觉察地

参考例句：

• "Clearly plots,'said Jacques Three. "Transparently!" “显然是搞阴谋，”雅克三号说，“再清楚不过了。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• All design transparently, convenient for the file identification inside the bag. 全透明设计，方便袋内文件识别。

11 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。