Patent Grant
10540907
The present disclosure relates to the field of a computer-based system and method for taking a test while ensuring that the test-taker is not receiving assistance from another person while taking the test and optionally ensuring that the device being used for viewing or taking the test has not been and is not being tampered with or otherwise compromised. Additionally, the present invention relates to the field of glasses which permit the test-taker to view specific content on a computer display which is not viewable by others without special glasses. Nevertheless, the glasses are not limited to test-taking and can be used for selective viewing applications.
There has been a great deal of discussion in the press over the past several years relating to MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses. Using the Internet and readily available textbooks, education can be cheaply distributed to anyone who has Internet access. It is now generally recognized that mastery of almost any field taught in colleges and universities can be achieved by a motivated student without attending lectures at that college or university. Thus, the technology is in place for any student to obtain knowledge that has previously only been available to a campus-resident, matriculated student at a college, university or other institution at virtually no cost other than the cost of textbooks.
In contrast, the cost of a traditional Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) education, for example, resulting in a bachelor's degree can greatly exceed one hundred thousand dollars. The only impediment which exists from preventing a university such as MIT from granting a degree to such a student is that the university needs to know with absolute certainty that the student did not cheat when taking the various exams required to demonstrate mastery of the coursework. With a degree from MIT, for example, industry will hire such a person at a starting salary approaching or exceeding $100,000 per year. Thus, the value to the student is enormous. Since the information which must be mastered is now available in readily available textbooks and for free through MOOCs on the Internet, the only impediment separating a motivated student from a high starting salary is that a degree-granting university must be certain that the student has demonstrated mastery of the material through successful completion of examinations.
As generally used herein, a “test” is any type of question-based application that requires analysis by a person taking the test and a response from this person. A test may therefore be considered an examination, a quiz, an assessment, an evaluation, a trial and/or an analysis.
The present disclosure is directed partly at solving the problem of guaranteeing, with a high degree of certainty, that a student taking a test is acting alone without the aid of a consultant or otherwise cheating. One technique to achieve this is to use a headpiece with a biometric identification feature.
A headpiece used in the invention includes a frame having support structure for supporting the frame on a person's head and a viewing portion configured to be in front of the person's face when the frame is supported on the person's head, and at least one light valve assembly arranged in the viewing portion. Each light valve assembly has a first state in which the person is able to see therethrough when the frame is supported on their head and an alternative second state in which viewing through the light valve assembly is prevented. A biometric identification system is arranged on the frame and periodically obtains biometric data about the person. A controller or processor, generally referred to as a processing unit, is coupled to each light valve assembly and the biometric identification system and controls whether each light valve assembly is in the first state or the second state based in part on analysis of the biometric data obtained by the biometric identification system to thereby control viewing through each light valve assembly.
In one embodiment, each light valve assembly allows light transmission therethrough only in a limited angular range to enable the person to see through the light valve assembly when the frame is supported on the person's head and to prevent viewing through the light valve assembly by a person other than the person on which the frame is supported when the frame is supported on the person's head. The light valve assembly may be situated rearward of part of the viewing portion.
The support structure includes a nosepiece configured to support the frame on a nose of the person. The viewing portion has a first viewing portion on one side of the nosepiece and a second viewing portion on an opposite side of the nosepiece. There is one light valve assembly in the first viewing portion and another in the second viewing portion. Each light valve assembly may include concentric cylinders spaced apart from one another a distance to provide the angular range of, for example, 30 degrees centered about an axis passing through a central axis of the concentric cylinders.
A biometric scan camera, as one type of biometric identification system, obtains images of an area around an eye of the person on which the frame is supported. More particularly, an iris or retinal scan camera, as another form of a biometric identification system, may obtain images of an iris or retina of an eye of the person on which the frame is supported. A change in biometric data during a test is considered as evidence of cheating on the test.
One aspect is to prevent access to a device which the student is using to take a test. A method for detecting an attempt to physically alter an electronic device in accordance with the invention is a type of chassis intrusion detector. In the method, the device, such as glasses used for viewing the test during test-taking, is enclosed in a thin film containing conductive wires which are positioned to surround the device (i.e., not part of the internal wiring of the device). Impedance of the wires is monitored by means of a security assembly (e.g., resistance and/or mutual inductance between a pair of wires). When a change in impedance is detected by the security assembly, a required security code needed for use of the device is deleted. In a preferred embodiment, the device is a glasses assembly being used for test-taking and thus with the method incorporated into the device, secure test taking is provided.
The security assembly includes a processor, a power source for providing power to the processor and a RAM assembly containing a required security code for use of the device for test-taking purposes. The security assembly is configured such that any attempt to disassemble the security assembly will break one or more wires connecting the power source to the processor and such that a change in impedance relative to a threshold will cause the security code to be erased from the RAM assembly. The security assembly may be coupled to the device using a port of the device. Apertures are provided in the envelope defined by the films in which the device is placed, the apertures having a size and location allowing for power and information to be transmitted to the device. The films are preferably transparent at portions that overlie a display of the device.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for limiting viewing of content on a display, e.g., a test which constitutes a series of test questions displayed on the display, using the viewing device as described above including or incorporating the light valve assembly(ies). A display presents a test to the person when the frame is supported on the person's head, at least one user interface receives input from the person when the frame is supported on the person's head to start and proceed through the questions, and a processor is coupled to each user interface, the display and each light valve assembly and controls content of the display based on input received via the user interface(s) and controls whether each light valve assembly is in the first state or the second state dependent on content of the display, or vice versa, to thereby control viewing through each light valve assembly.
The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the system developed or adapted using the teachings of at least one of the embodiments disclosed herein and are not meant to limit the scope of the disclosure as encompassed by the claims.
For a general background of this invention, see WO2016028864 Secure testing device, system and method, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Referring now to
A controller or processor 40 controls the light valve assemblies 14 to alternatively allow light passage or prevent light passage, but not provide both at the same time. The light valve assemblies 14 thus have a first light-transmitting state and a second light-blocking or light-blanking state, and switch or change between states based on control by the controller. When used with a display for test-taking, the content of the display (120, see
To assure that the test-taking student is not receiving assistance from a consultant, it has been disclosed in other patent applications of the current assignee, that the consultant must not know the contents of the test questions since there is an unlimited number of methods where, having learned a question, the consultant can communicate answers to the test-taker. Thus, to prevent cheating, the consultant must be denied access to the questions. One method of achieving this goal and to still allow use of a general viewable display is to scramble the contents of the display and then to provide a filter on a set of glasses worn by the student which unscrambles the content allowing only the student to see the test questions. One method of accomplishing the goal is to create a sequence of very similar displays where the real one is displayed in a mixture of fake displays. A viewer capturing the sequence of displays cannot distinguish the real one from others in the series. However, an encrypted code as to the places in the sequence that the “real” display content appears (that destined or intended to be viewed by the test-taker) can be sent to the student's glasses where it is decrypted and used to control the light valve assembly 14, allowing only transmission of the real test question to pass to the student's eyes. Even if the real test only occurs on 5% of the scenes, the student will be able to read the test whereas other viewers will be denied a coherent view. The sequence may be a number of a frame within a set of frames that correlate to the real test question. For example, the display may display the real test question at the fifth frame within each ten frames, and thus the sequence would be, 5, 15, 25, 35, etc. A random number of the frame within a fixed number of frames is more ideal.
A device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention is illustrated in
Test glasses device 10 comprise a frame 22 having two temples 16 configured to be supported on the wearer's ears and a nosepiece 18 configured to be supported on the wearer's nose, and a housing 20 that extends from the frame 22. Housing 20 is substantially C-shaped with first portions 20A extending straight outward from an edge of the frame 22 and a second, middle portion 20B perpendicular to the first portions 20A and positioned extending behind the frame 22.
Either one or both eyes, as shown, can be allowed for the test-taker to view the display and the selected test questions through the light valve controlled lenses, i.e., through light valve assembly 14.
A forward viewing camera 26, representative of an imaging device, is also arranged on or in the housing 20, i.e., the second portion 20B on the right as shown in
In some implementations, a third microphone, not shown, may be implemented so that the exact location of a sound source can be determined by processor 40. A sound maker/generator or speaker 30 is arranged on or in the frame 22 or housing 20 and periodically provides a sound detectable by the microphones 28 and 29 to enable verification by processor 40 that the microphones 28, 29 have not somehow been rendered inoperable. The manner in which this is done is known to those skilled in the art and disclosed in earlier applications to the inventor and current assignee.
Each of these components 14, 26, 28, 29 and 30 is connected to a processor-containing electronics package (including processor 40) in housing 20 which is mounted to the frame 22 in a manner known to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. A cable 24 emanates from the electronics package in housing 20 and can contain a USB connector 32 for connecting onto an external device such as a computer (see
An iris or retinal scan camera 34 is arranged on housing 20, pointing inward toward the wearer preferably from a location above one of the light valve assemblies 14 as shown in
The FOV device prevents a camera which may be mounted to the face of the test-taker, or other location, from capturing the image on the display (on which the test is being displayed in front of the person wearing the device 10) through the light valve assemblies 14.
Software and a processor which controls administration of tests is resident on the external computer, in the electronics package in housing 20, and/or in another device, not shown, which attaches to the device 10 through connector 32 (or partly in multiple ones of these components). A test-taker will have access to one or more user interfaces, for example, a keyboard and/or a mouse, for interacting with this computer, not shown (but shown in
The test is preferably configured such that the answers do not provide information relative to the question. Therefore, someone viewing the answers cannot discern therefrom the questions. As such, the question answers do not need to be encrypted, but can be sent in an unencrypted form to the test-providing institution or other test result analysis entity.
For example, if the test-providing institution is providing tests to 1000 test-takers either simultaneously or at different times, and if the test is of a multiple-choice type and contains 50 questions, the order of the questions can be different for each test provided. Since this provides a very large number of different tests, each containing the same questions, there is little risk that answers from one set of questions can be of any value to a test-taker taking a different ordered set of the same questions.
The entire electronics package, the light valve and FOV control devices of the device 10 are encapsulated in a thin film called a chassis intrusion detection film. This film can comprise two conductive layers separated by thin layers of plastic. The electronics package in housing 20 can contain a processor or structure providing processing capability for measuring the capacitance between the two conductive layers. If this capacitance is changed, as might happen if someone attempts to break into the electronics package, then the event can be detected through a change in this property. Alternatively, an array of wires can be printed onto a plastic film either before or after it has encapsulated the electronics package in housing 20 in such a manner that any attempt to break into the housing 20 will sever or otherwise disrupt one or more of the wires. The wires can be made from indium tin oxide and thus be transparent. The wires can be thin, such as about 0.005 inches wide, and have a similar spacing.
The private key for decoding the test question sequence, and any other commands sent by the test-providing institution, can be held in volatile RAM memory in, for example, housing 20 which is kept alive through an extended life (10 years) battery which also can be recharged when the device 10 is connected to the host computer through connector 32. If the chassis intrusion detector system detects an attempt to break in to the device 10 or specifically housing 20, then the power to the RAM memory will be shut off and the private key permanently lost.
When the test-taker is preparing to take a test, he or she will place the device 10 onto his or her head. When this happens for the first time, attributes of the retinal, iris or other biometric scan via biometric scan camera 34 will be recorded in memory in housing 20 for later comparison. When this is accomplished, a signal can be sent to the computer or processor 40 indicating that the test-taker is ready to take the examination. When the test-taker later takes a second test, a new biometric scan will be conducted using biometric scan camera 34 to ascertain that this is the same person who originally registered using this device 10. If this scan comparison, e.g., performed using the processor 40 in electronics package in housing 20, is successful, then the display and light valve assembly 14 will be activated and a signal can be generated and/or sent by the processor 40 to the test-provider via the external computer to forward the encrypted test.
One or more heartbeat monitors 42 can also be added as a further biometric check on the identity of the test-taker. Shape of a person's heartbeat, if analyzed properly, can be used as another biometric identifier.
An alternate biometric uses the test-taker's fingerprint for the initial sign on to the test taking process. This design can make use of the tablet rear camera, or other camera or fingerprint sensor attached to the computer, and the test-taker places his or her finger at a directed position and the finger is photographed or the fingerprint is otherwise obtained through one of the many methods known in the industry. This theoretically could also be fooled by the use of a picture so the finger can be monitored over a few seconds to determine that a pulse is present using methods such as amplifying the motion or the color of the finger as disclosed in: “Software Detects Motion that the Human Eye Can't See”, Conor Myhrvold, MIT Technology Review, Jul. 24, 2012; “Seeing the human pulse”, Larry Hardesty, MIT News Office, Jun. 19, 2013; and, “Guha Balakrishnan, Fredo Durand, John Guttag, Detecting Pulse from Head Motions in Video, presented at the IEEE Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition conference, 2013. More of the finger print information including the presence of a heartbeat and even the shape of the heartbeat can be captured by this method making it more accurate and difficult to fool than conventional fingerprint scanners.
For this feature, the fingerprint sensor is attached to the computer having the display displaying the test, or may even be provide on the frame 22 or housing 20, and the test-taker is directed to put their finger onto the sensor. The pulse of the test-taker is measured in order to determine that the finger is part of a living human. At the same time, the fingerprint is analyzed for biometric security purposes. Thus, the processor 40 may be configured to interact with the fingerprint sensor to simultaneously perform biometric analysis and a live person verification via the same fingerprint sensor. It is possible to take the fingerprint for analysis to confirm the identity of the test-taker and verify that the source of the fingerprints is a live person at the same time using the same device.
The scan camera 34 is controlled by the processor-containing electronics package in housing 20 to periodically check to ascertain that the test-taker's iris is present and that it has not changed. If anything anomalous occurs, such as the absence of an iris or the change of an iris, then the light valve assembly 14 will be deactivated by the processor 40. Thus, when the test-taker removes the device 10, the light valve assembly 14 will automatically stop filtering the test questions. Similarly, if the test-taker transfers the device 10 to another person whose iris does not match that of the test-taker, then the light valve assembly 14 will not allow the test questions to be viewed therethrough (it will block or blank viewing). Above and in what follows, the iris will be used to represent any of the aforementioned biometric scans. The computer is directed to stop the test and indicate possible cheating and failure of the test on the display, and possibly convey this indication via a communications system incorporated into the computer to the test-providing institution or a test-monitoring facility. A reactive system is therefore provided in the computer coordinating the test to react to an indication of possible cheating.
When the test-taker has completed the test questions, he or she will indicate such through the computer keyboard and the light valve assembly 14 will no longer filter the test questions. The remainder of the interaction with the test-providing facility will then occur through the keyboard and/or mouse and the external computer.
The forward-looking camera 26 can have a field of view of 120°. This field of view (FOV) will cover the hands of the test-taker to check for the case where the test-taker is typing in the questions on a keyboard, other than the keyboard associated with the test, where they are transmitted to a consultant. If the hands of the test-taker cannot be seen by camera 26, the light valve assembly 14 will be turned off until the hands can be seen. If this happens frequently, then the test can be terminated. Camera 26 can also be used to check for the existence of other devices near the test-taker. These devices may include another computing device such as a tablet computer, a smart phone, smart watch, books or papers, displays other than the test answers on the external computer display, or any other information source which is not permitted for the test. If the test is an open book tests, then searching of some of the above-listed objects can be permitted. Software which accomplishes these pattern recognition tasks can utilize one or more trained neural networks or other AI software.
A limited number of encrypted commands which relate to the test being administered can be transmitted with the encrypted test from the test-providing institution. These commands control some aspects of the test taking process such as whether it is an open book or closed book examination, whether it is a timed test, how many restarts are permitted, how many pauses are permitted etc., since the test process is controlled by the device 10, these commands will be decrypted and used to guide the test taking process by the device 10.
Generally, there should be no talking while test taking is in progress. Microphones 28 and 29 are used to detect audio sounds and spoken words. If such sounds are detected particularly emanating from the test-taker, then the test can be paused or terminated depending on the test-providing institution's requirements. Information as to what the response required of device 10 for this or any other anomaly can be sent in encrypted form from the test-providing institution. To prevent spoofing of these commands, when the device 10 detects an anomaly, it can transmit a request for action to the test-providing institution via the host computer. The test-providing institution can respond with encrypted instructions as to what action to take.
The encrypted instruction can include a rolling code such that messages requiring the same result from the device 10 will not be identical and thus not able to be spoofed. To prevent the microphones 28, 29 from being covered with sound absorbing material, the speaker or sound generator 30 is provided to periodically create a sound which is then detected by the microphones 28, 29 and the quality of the detected signal can be ascertained. If the microphones 28, 29 cannot clearly hear the sound produced by the speaker 30, then the tests can be terminated until the issue is resolved. Speaker 30 may be placed at an alternate location on the housing 20 or frame 22 of to minimize direct sonic conduction through the structure.
The processing unit includes a connection port to enable 24 a cable to extend from the processing unit in housing 20 to the computer being used for test-taking. This cable 24 may be the only connection between the processing unit in the housing 20 and the test-taking computer.
More importantly, for the reasons described above, to guarantee that the biometric measurements have not been compromised, at least one of the measurements should be accomplished on a secure device which is protected by a chassis intrusion detector (CID) device, as described below, and which contains the private key. Since the private key should be adjacent to the display view controller which is on the glasses, the biometrics measurement system also should be housed on the glasses. If a camera is mounted on the glasses so that it has a clear view of one of the test-taker's eyes, then an iris scan can be readily accomplished. Since the iris scan is among the most reliable of the biometric measurements, this may be sufficient. If a second biometric measurement is desired, then the same or different camera can perform a retinal scan or a scan of the blood vein pattern around the eye. This eliminates the need for this hardware to be part of the computer. Now, any computer can be used by the test-taker for test taking. The test image sequence is decrypted just as it enters the glasses and the display of the appropriate views can only be seen by the test-taker. The private key and test-taker's biometrics are stored in a CID-protected assembly on the glasses frame adjacent to the display. Microphones are provided to detect any talking by the test-taker and a sound creator to test the microphones.
Two problems remain which will be addressed below. A field of view limiter can be mounted on the display controller so that only the test-taker can observe the display. If the tablet display is not seen by a consultant, then this can be a secure system. Finally, a biometric scan camera 34 capable of detecting and analyzing an iris scan (and/or facial vein pattern or retinal) to provide a biometric analysis to confirm the identity of the test-taker is also included.
Eye tracking is available to control the test-taker's peripheral vision and gesture input can be an option for answering questions on the test being taken.
The FOV limiter is comprised of a series of concentric cylinders 52 which are spaced apart to block light passing through the light valve assembly 14 at angles greater than an angle which approximately covers the eye of the test-taker. The walls of the cylinders 52 block light from being seen at angles greater than, for example, +/−15 degrees which is just sufficient to cover the eyeball of the test-taker (the person on which the device 10 is secured). The limited angular range in this embodiment is therefore about 30 degrees centered about an axis passing through a central axis of the concentric cylinders 52.
The walls of the cylinders 52 can be about 0.5 mm thick and the spacing between the walls about 0.27 mm. These dimensions depend on the spacing of the FOV limiter 36 from the test-taker's eyes. Thus, a hidden camera which is not on or closely adjacent to the test-taker's eyeball will not be able to see the display through the light valve assembly 14. If such a camera were placed over the test-taker's eyeball, for example, it would be seen by the iris camera and the test can be terminated or other reactive step undertaken. The iris camera is designed to monitor the area where the FOV limiter 36 allows the display to be seen. As seen in
The operation of the light valve assembly 14 will now be explained with reference to
Without the light valve assembly 14, a determined cheater has a route open for getting the assistance of a consultant. Since the display of computer 120 can be observed optically, a consultant may position a camera with a telephoto lens somewhere in the room or on or through a wall that can view the display of the computer 120. Alternatively, the test-taker may wear a hidden camera, which is not observable by either the iris camera or a camera on the external computer, which can monitor the tablet display. Such a camera, for example, may be worn around the neck of the test-taker and view the screen through a very small opening in the shirt or blouse worn by the test-taker and be very difficult to see by a camera mounted on or near the computer display, for example. These two types of cameras, through-the-wall and test-taker-mounted, can be disguised in such a manner that it is virtually impossible for the system monitoring cameras, if present, to detect their presence. Nevertheless, either of these cameras can transmit the contents of the computer screen to a consultant in another room, for example. A solution to this problem rests in scrambling the display of the computer 120 and providing the test-taker with a special pair of glasses which descrambles the display using a light valve assembly such as 14. Many techniques are available for accomplishing this task and one will now be explained.
Modern displays refresh the screen at 240 Hz. Since the text on a test changes very slowly only a small portion of this information needs to be seen by the test-taker. For example, if the screen displays constantly changing images which are very similar to the text on the test wherein only 5%, for example, of the images represent the actual test, then anyone observing the screen through one of the aforementioned cameras would see a blur of constantly changing text. If the test-taker wears a set of glasses, illustrated at 122 in
If the hidden camera image capture apparatus used by the consultant is sufficiently sophisticated, each frame could theoretically be captured and thus the consultant could see all of the frames and if it was obvious which frames contained the actual test questions, then the consultant could discard all the irrelevant images. It is therefore important that there be no obvious clue as to which images contain the actual test questions and remaining images must look very similar with only slight differences.
In particular, hands 130 of the test-taker can be monitored by this camera 124 to ascertain that the test-taker 110 is not communicating with the consultant through typed messages using the keyboard 126 or any other device. Since the computer 120 used by the test-taker to provide answers to the questions has not in any way been secured, it could be used as a method for the test-taker to communicate with a consultant. Similarly, other devices such as a smart phone or additional tablet computer, may be hidden by the test-taker and used to send the questions to the consultant and receive communications back relating to the appropriate answers. Thus, the camera 124 and the associated pattern recognition software is an important aspect of this invention.
The pattern recognition software can be located within the electronics package associated with the apparatus 122, e.g., in a housing extending from or integral with the frame, and can be based on a trained neural network. One key advantage of this approach is that as experience is gained with the system, the neural network can be readily retrained to check for various newly discovered cheating methods. The fact that neural networks can be used in this fashion permits continuous improvement of the apparatus 122.
There are other sensors including the iris imaging camera and two or more microphones, that similarly provide data which contain patterns which are appropriate for neural network analysis (disclosed above in device 10 and which can be included in apparatus 122). In some cases, initially this analysis can be simplified by using the differences between two images. For example, for the iris monitoring camera 34, it is expected that the image of this should be invariant and therefore any significant changes in that image would be indicative of an anomaly which should be brought to the attention of the test-taker for remedial action. Similarly, once the test has begun, there should be no voices sensed by the microphone 28, 29 and therefore if any voice frequencies are present, especially emanating from the mouth of the test-taker, the anomaly can be highlighted for remedial action by the test-taker. The iris image analysis can be somewhat more complicated, however, again since it is the difference between two such images which is significant, the analysis can at least initially be relatively uncomplicated. The difference between two images of the same test-taker should be relatively minor whereas the difference between another person's iris image and that of the test-taker can be quite complicated. This should be easily detectable. In order to guard against the use of a contact lens with a painted surface showing an invariant iris image to a iris imaging camera, LEDs 38 as illustrated in
An objective of this test taking system is that it is completely automatic without requiring the intervention of any human other than the test-taker 110. The institution administering the test will have a limited set of rules which, if violated, will render the test invalid. These rules can be general rules or rules specific to the particular test being taken. These rules can include: the events which will invalidate a test; the number of times that the test, once an event has occurred, can be restarted if any; the number of times that a particular test can be taken if failed; the time permitted to take the test; the number and length of pauses permitted during the test taking process, etc. The rules may or may not be made available to the test-taker 110.
All of this puts a small burden on the institution to draw arbitrary lines as to what constitutes cheating and what does not. This is a relatively light burden with the test taking apparatus, since once the rules have been set the opportunities for an undetected violation of these rules are very limited or virtually nonexistent.
A substantial number of sensors have been introduced, each of these sensors requires an algorithm to assess the sensor output and determine whether the test-taker is cheating or not. Since the apparatus 10, 122 are provided with a chassis intrusion detector (CID), such as disclosed herein, it is virtually impossible for a consultant to modify the apparatus 10, 122 to transmit the display information to another room, for example. With a CID, there are no accessible wires which connect the display to the electronics package, for example. Finally, the display control light valve itself is protected. The test-taker 110 can wear a camera which has a lens the size of a small pea but in order for that camera to see the display, it will also itself be seen by the iris imager camera 34.
Of course, if a cheating method is discovered, it will quickly become public through the Internet. Therefore, a continuous improvement process which rewards test-takers who discover cheating methods should be implemented.
At the discretion of the institution, a time limit or no time limit can be afforded the test-taker 110 for completing the test. Similarly, a course can have only a single final exam or a series of quizzes in addition to a final exam or feedback can be requested from the test-taker 110 during each course session depending on the course and the desires of the institution. Since all such tests will be graded automatically, the cost of having daily or more frequent quizzes versus a single final exam is insignificant. In one extreme case, all the required courses can be given without any exams and a final comprehensive exam can be used to validate a student for receiving a degree. Alternately, the student can be tested continuously during the course or degree process without any final examinations. These decisions are left up to the institution. These options are facilitated due to the ability of the student to observe instruction presented on the computer screen, and through textbook assignments, and at arbitrary times be tested using the apparatus 10, 122.
The test-taker can enter data into the testing program through the keyboard 126, a track pad (not shown), and/or the mouse 128, or any other type of user interface such as a touch screen of the computer 120. The mouse 128 can be attached to the computer 120 with a fixed wire or be wirelessly connected to the computer 120.
Various biometric technologies for verifying the identity of the test-taker for use with apparatus 10, 122 will now be discussed. Since the apparatus 10, 122 are mounted on the head in front of the eyes, the most readily available biometrics are images of the eyes or facial tissues surrounding the eyes. A variety of different biometric tests can be devised, but the most common are retinal scans and iris scans. Both are available using a camera mounted in conjunction with the apparatus 10, 122. The retinal scan is used to examine the pattern of blood vessels at the back of the eye. Although retinal patterns may be altered in cases of diabetes, glaucoma or retinal degenerative disorders, the retina typically remains unchanged from birth until death. Due to its unique and unchanging nature, the retina appears to be the most precise and reliable biometric, aside from DNA. Advocates of retinal scanning have concluded that it is so accurate that its error rate is estimated to be only one in a million with appropriate software. The blood vessels within the retina absorb light more readily than the surrounding tissue and are easily identified with appropriate lighting. A retinal scan is performed by casting an unperceived beam of low-energy infrared light into a person's eye as they look through the scanner's lens. This beam of light traces a standardized path on the retina. Because retinal blood vessels are more absorbent of this light than the rest of the eye, the amount of reflection varies during the scan. The pattern of variations is converted to computer code and stored in a database.
The iris scan is an automated method of biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern-recognition techniques on video images of the irises of an individual's eyes, whose complex random patterns are unique and can be seen from some distance. Not to be confused with other, less prevalent, ocular-based technologies, retina scanning and eye printing, iris recognition uses camera technology with subtle infrared illumination to acquire images of the detail-rich, intricate structures of the iris externally visible at the front of the eye. Digital templates encoded from these patterns by mathematical and statistical algorithms allow the identification of an individual. Many millions of persons in several countries around the world have been enrolled in iris recognition systems, for convenience purposes such as passport-free automated border-crossings, and some national ID systems based on this technology are being deployed. A key advantage of iris recognition, besides its speed of matching and its extreme resistance to false matches, is the stability of the iris as an internal, protected, yet externally visible organ of the eye.
Both of these scans are extremely accurate and very difficult to fake. Since the apparatus for conducting these scans is protected by the chassis intrusion detector system, they are a preferred biometric identification systems for use with this invention. Although it has been proposed that secure testing systems utilize more than one biometric identification, the accuracy of either of the retinal or iris scans is so high as to eliminate the need for a second biometric identification system. The iris scan is somewhat easier to implement and therefore is the preferred system for use with this invention. Nevertheless, to satisfy the desire for dual biometrics, a heartbeat monitor 42 has been optionally provided as described above (see
Consideration is necessary concerning where the test-taker's biometrics are stored. If they are transmitted to the test-providing institution, then there is the risk that if they are not encrypted that the transmission can be captured, allowing a consultant to log on as the test-taker in the future. If they are encrypted at the laptop, then even the encrypted biometrics can be captured and used by the consultant. A solution is for the institution to transmit an encrypted random number to the laptop which combines that number with a code representing the success or failure of a biometrics measurement and transmits a combination of the decrypted random number and the code back to the institution. For example, assume that the random number was 45896 and 1 represents a biometrics failure and 0 a success. The laptop upon failure of the biometrics test would return 45897 to the institution and the institution would then not proceed with the test. Thus, if the private key is secure on the laptop, then only the laptop needs to know the test-taker's biometrics which will be stored only locally and can be stored in a coded manner which makes spoofing by another system difficult or impossible. The preferred system and method, however, is to store the private key and biometrics in the CID protected glasses.
One preferred method in implementing a chassis intrusion protection (CID) system in conjunction with the test-taking apparatus 10 is illustrated in
The CID 220 in this implementation comprises a very thin film containing one or more very thin closely spaced wires. These wires form a circuit which is monitored as illustrated in
A schematic of the operation of the chassis intrusion detector of
The chassis intrusion detector can contain its own microprocessor security assembly 454 and battery 458. It also contains its own RAM memory 456. The RAM memory 456 contains the private key which is kept alive by the battery 458. The battery 458 is chosen such that it can provide sufficient power to maintain the RAM memory 456 active for several years and provide power to the microprocessor to monitor the conductive films. The conductive films are attached to the microprocessor which checks for the capacitance between the two films. Any change in this capacitance detected by the microprocessor is indicative of an attempt to intrude into the interior of the electronics and sensors assembly. If such intrusion is detected, then power is removed from the RAM memory 456 and the private key pair erased.
Since a carefully placed hole or multiple holes through the plastic film assembly can cause only a minor change in the capacitance as long as the conductive layers are not shorted together, a preferred alternative construction, as illustrated in
A schematic of the chassis intrusion detector system is shown in
To summarize, any disruption of the wire mesh or conductive film in either of the above described examples will destroy the private key, and other memory contents, making it impossible to decode the test question sequence. After the assembly is completed, the computer can be powered on and the first step would be to measure the inductance, resistance, and capacitance, as appropriate, of the mesh or films. Thereafter, if any of these measurements significantly change, then the circuit in the SA 454 would remove power from the RAM memory 456 thereby destroying the private key and other memory contents. Since the private key cannot be reloaded, the assembly would need to be returned to the factory for remanufacture and the insertion of a new SA 454 or entire electronics and sensors assembly.
The apparatus 10, 122 can be used by test-takers remotely located from the institution providing the test. Alternatively, as illustrated in
An exemplifying, non-limiting system process flowchart is illustrated generally at 600 in
Special software is required for the external computer. This software may vary depending on the operating system of that computer but generally will be provided by the test-providing institution. This software will manage the interface between the apparatus 10, 122 and the test-providing institution. The software also will not permit any information to be displayed on the screen while the test is underway other than information related to the test. The forward monitoring camera 26 will confirm that there is no unexpected information displayed on the computer screen and if so a fault will be indicated and the test terminated.
Some important features of disclosed inventions differentiate them significantly from other attempts to develop secure testing systems. These include:
Disclosed herein are a series of measures that are designed to prevent the transfer of test related information to anyone other than the test-taker by any means either visually, electronically, or wirelessly. The measures disclosed herein are not exhaustive and the intent of this invention is to cover preferred implementations of such techniques.
Finally, all patents, patent application publications and non-patent material identified above are incorporated by reference herein. The features disclosed in this material may be used in the invention to the extent possible.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/448,598 filed Jul. 31, 2014 and a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/329,243 filed Jan. 25, 2017 which is a National Stage filing of International Application No. PCT/US15/45846 filed Aug. 19, 2015, now expired, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/040,806 filed Aug. 22, 2014, now expired, all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
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