India UID - The Hardware

With 8 gizmos in a case, Nilekani sets out to give 1.2 bn people an identity. [IndianExpress.com]

Packed into what look like two medium-sized suitcases are eight essentials — an iris scanner, a fingerprint machine, a camera, a laptop, a computer screen linked to the laptop, an Internet data card, a pen drive and a printer.

Armed with kits like these, Nandan Nilekani and his team at the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will kickstart one of the most ambitious exercises in recent times — distribution of unique identification numbers to India’s 1.2 billion people.

This article deals with the technical and human elements of the Indian UID-worker's job.