What Is Failure to Enroll Rate (FTE) in Biometric Systems and Why Does It Matter for Identity Authentication?

Companies adopting biometric systems must not have difficulties during enrollment. The system is not accurate or trustworthy when users are unable to register their biometrics or other identifiers. This is why FTE is important.

Failure to Enroll Rate, also referred to as FTE, is the percentage of individuals who do not successfully input their biometric data when registering with a biometric system. It is calculated as a ratio of the number of failed enrollments to the total number of enrollments attempted and then expressed as a percentage.

Considering an example, when 100 individuals make attempts to register their fingerprints in the system. Among them, three individuals fail because of the poor-quality prints, the FTE is 3%. The lower the rate, the more convenient and reliable the system becomes. High FTE rates may reflect technical limitations, as well as the environmental factors or demographic status that interfere with biometric capture.

How Do FTE Biometric Systems Affect Real-World Use?

FTE directly impacts the accessibility of a biometric system. When too many users are unable to enroll, the trust in the technology decreases, and alternative authentication methods must be provided. This creates both cost and operational challenges for the businesses.

Consider a hospital adopting fingerprint biometrics for staff authentication. When multiple workers are unable to enroll due to damaged fingerprints, the system supports fallback options, which complicates the process. Likewise, when passengers are not capable of checking in at the facial recognition terminals at airports, manual inspections slow down the procedure.

Therefore, the accuracy and inclusivity of every attempt should be factored into the design of the biometric systems with high/low FTE. A balance between advanced sensors and fallback options helps ensure the adoption across diverse user groups.

What Factors Influence the Failure to Enroll Rate?

The Failure to Enroll Rate (FTE) is influenced by a variety of factors, the majority of which are beyond the user’s control. The quality of biometrics is imperative, and to that end, low-quality fingerprints, uncertainty in iris recognition, or environmental factors such as inadequate light can be a hindrance in enrollment. Demographic aspects, including age and physical conditions, are also a factor, as with elderly people and laborers who might have worn-out fingerprints.

Furthermore, sensors may be disturbed by environmental factors such as dust, humidity, and glare, and aging hardware or software may not accommodate natural biometric changes. With this, user collaboration is equally essential, since a lack of knowledge or wrong placement during capture may cause errors.

Understanding these factors helps organizations take steps to reduce high FTE rates during biometric enrollment.

Why Should Organizations Compare FTE With Other Biometric Error Rates?

Biometric error rates are critical indicators that reflect the integrity of a biometric system. Failure to Enroll (FTE) provides the frequency of the inability of users to enroll in the system. Other measures focus on errors after enrollment. 

The False Acceptance Rate (FAR) indicates an impostor getting access, while the False Rejection Rate (FRR) indicates the chance of denying access to a rightful user. The Equal Error Rate (EER) is where FAR and FRR are the same, striking a balance between security and convenience. 

FTE is important to take into account with these rates as high FTE may complicate the enrollment process, and high FAR or FRR may influence user experience and security.

How Does FTE Relate to Identity Authentication?

Identity authentication depends on every stage of the biometric system functioning. If individuals cannot enroll, they can’t undergo authentication in the future. This makes FTE a foundational metric, shaping the usability of any biometric solution.

For identity authentication in banking, for example, customer onboarding begins with successful enrollment. If FTE is elevated, the bank experiences a higher drop-off, customer frustration, and an extra expenditure on manual verification. Likewise, in government initiatives where digital IDs are issued, high FTE has a negative impact on inclusivity, as it makes it difficult for non-citizens or excluded groups to register their biometric identifiers. FTE is not just a technical metric, it also affects equality and accessibility.

How Do Industry Standards Address FTE in Biometric Systems?

International organizations and standards bodies recognize FTE as a core performance metric. Guidelines on biometric performance testing, as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), describe FTE.

Thus, adherence to these standards ensures that biometric products are thoroughly tested prior to being deployed. The vendors who report low FTE rates under standardized conditions provide organizations with transparency and confidence in their solutions.

Why Does Knowing the Failure to Enroll Rate Build Trust in Biometric Systems?

The trust in biometric systems relies on two qualities, which are accuracy and fairness. A low FTE system means that most users will be able to use that system without any barrier. Companies that share their FTE performance publicly are showing usability and inclusiveness.

Not only does this transparency increase user confidence, but it also provides assurance to regulators and other stakeholders that the system is constructed in a responsible manner. Such trust cannot be compromised in environments where identity authentication is mission-critical.