"Iris scan  , please," the bank's computer voice tells you. You step up and the computer reads your eye, comparing it to the stored file it has of your iris. The images had better match---otherwise, you won't be able to get your money. Iris scanning and other technologies, such as fingerprint and voice scanning, have appeared in many science fiction movies in the past. Today, these advanced technologies are part of the real world. They are common at work, the bank, the airport, and your local prison. The iris scan, fingerprint scan, and voice scan are all examples of biometrics , a fast developing area of automatic personal identification technology. Basically, biometrics uses various ways to verify a person's identity, based on the individual's unique characteristics, including fingerprints, signature, and so on. Biometrics identification systems have a number of advantages over password systems. The primary advantage is that an individual has to be physically present in order to be identified. Another important advantage is that there are no passwords to remember, forget, lose, or steal. The voice scan is the simplest and most affordable form of biometrics. It only requires a computer, a microphone, and the correct software. The software records a subject's voice and then compares it to a stored voice sample for identification purpose. For additional safety, fingerprint and handprint scans can also be employed. Fingerprint scans take the image of a fingerprint and compare it to a stored file of prints. Handprint scans identify the unique features of a hand. What is the author's purpose in writing the text?
To explain the importance of identification technology. To discuss the potential of biometrics systems. To introduce the technology of biometrics. To show the advantages of iris scanning.