Police departments and governments have used fingerprints to track suspects and criminals for a long time, but fingerprints can only take you so far.
That's why some military experts are taking their identification software to the next level with DNA readers.
"On Wednesday, representatives from the U.S. Special Operations Command revealed that they were testing two rapidDNA readers in forward locations," reports DefenseOne. This technology is fairly simple; operators insert a DNA sample into the device, and the device checks the DNA against its database of suspects and offenders.
Here's the catch; this kind of device isn't cheap. As of 2015, a single DNA reader weighs more than 60 pounds, costs $250,000 and takes more than 90 minutes to analyze a result. In other words, this isn't a device that an officer can carry in their back pocket.
However, U.S. Special Operations Command does believe that these could change the way soldiers handle the pursuit of high-risk targets.
"Our whole program is built around follow-on targeting. We don't gather biometrics for criminal prosecution," explains Michael S. Fitz, who is in charge of this new research project."Our primary objective is actionable intelligence for follow-on targeting."
While the devices that U.S. Special Operations Command is looking at are rather large and fragile, Fitz would like to see something that's more portable designed soon.
"Ultimately, [Fitz] wants a rugged, battery-powered DNA reader the size of a cellphone, which will allow special operations fighters to 'collect DNA right there on the site.' It should connect to a database to allow verification on location as well."
Fitz and his team hope to have such a device ready for field use by 2019-2020. Technology like that will require some major development and millions of dollars of research. But if it's built correctly, it will help the military to efficiently track its targets.
