What type of reader recognizes features unique to an individual for access control?

A biometric reader is designed to recognize specific physical characteristics or unique features of an individual, such as fingerprints, facial patterns, iris patterns, or voice recognition. This capability makes biometric readers particularly effective for access control, as they rely on the biological input that is unique to each person, thereby ensuring a high level of security.

Unlike card readers and magnetic strip readers, which operate based on external physical tokens that can be lost or stolen, biometric readers require the actual presence of the individual whose identity is being verified. Similarly, keypad readers depend on the user entering a code, which can be compromised or shared, but they do not inherently verify the individual’s identity. Biometric systems, therefore, provide a more secure and personal method of access control, reducing the risk of unauthorized access based on something a user knows (like a PIN) or possesses (like a card).