The purpose of the present invention is to implement a biometric authentication device which may be easily operated, has high precision, and is compact. Provided is an authentication device which, employing biometric characteristics of a living body, authenticates an individual person, said device comprising: a placement region whereupon a living body is placed a light source which projects light upon the living body which has been presented upon the placement region an image capture unit which photographs the light from the light source which has been reflected from the living body an image processing unit which processes an image which has been captured by the image capture unit a characteristic extraction unit which extracts biometric characteristics of the living body from the image a storage unit which retains the biometric characteristics and a verification unit which compares the similarity of the biometric characteristics. The image capture device and the plurality of light sources are positioned in positions which are in opposition to the living body. Each of the plurality of light sources projects a different wavelength. The image capture device photographs the plurality of wavelengths. A means for measuring the distance between the living body and the image capture device is provided. The orientation of the living body is assessed, an optimal presentation position is detected, the living body is guided to said position, and a correction of the characteristics of the living body is performed on the basis of the orientation of the living body.Linvention vise à mettre en œuvre un dispositif dauthentification biométrique qui peut être utilisé facilement, qui est dune grande précision et qui est compact. Linvention concerne un dispositif dauthentification qui, au moyen de caractéristiques biométriques dun corps vivant, authentifie un individu, ledit dispositif comprenant : une région de placement sur laquelle est placé un corps vivant une source de lumière qui
