Luigi Raffaele
Dr Luigi Raffaele is a Research Officer in the Frontex Research and Innovation Unit, where he supports the development and implementation of research studies and projects in the field of border security R&I. He joined the Research and Innovation Unit in 2019 as seconded national expert from the Ministry of Interior - Central Anticrime Directorate of the Italian National Police – Italy. Luigi previously served in the microelectronics and optoelectronics industries for 15 years. He holds a MSc degree and a PhD in Electronics, and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management for Public Security.
Sessions
In 2021 Frontex conducted a Technology Foresight on Biometrics for the Future of Travel, with the objective of studying the future of biometrics for its implementation in border check systems that may benefit the work of the European Border and Coast Guard community in the short-, medium- and long-term perspectives.
Three experts’ consultation events (two Technology Foresight Workshops and a Delphi survey) took place during the project. A broad group of relevant stakeholders was involved in these events to exploit collective intelligence and stimulate consensus-oriented discussions.
A custom Technology Foresight methodology was developed, opening the door to the exploration of the vast field of biometric technologies, which were analysed from various perspectives in the context of border checks.
Each of the phases of this complex Research Study produced its own set of insights which include:
• a thorough explanation of the overarching Technology Foresight methodology and tools adopted, customised to the needs of the study but with future implementations in mind;
• a taxonomy of biometric technologies and biometrics-enabled technological Systems;
• the results of the in-depth analyses conducted on patents, scientific literature and EU-funded projects;
• a customised set of scenarios for EU in 2040;
• a prioritisation matrix of biometric technological clusters;
• a set of roadmaps developed for the identified key technological clusters (KTCs - contactless friction ridge recognition, 3D and infrared face recognition, iris recognition in the near-infrared and visible spectrum);
• a set of capability readiness heatmaps showing an overview of the extent to which KTCs’ cluster-specific needs are met at present or will be fulfilled in the future under the different hypothetical scenarios.
Due to the substantial amount of information provided and the adopted participatory foresight approach, the Research Study will directly contribute to an enhanced understanding of the relevance and applicability of novel biometrics and technology foresight. The findings can also be used by public organisations, research and technology organisations, academia and industrial entities in Europe to identify areas of strategic interest and to make informed decisions about paths of future developments in biometrics, acting towards strengthening European strategic autonomy in this sector.