The Technology Used In Fingerprint Scanning

Fingerprint scanner, which has long been a staple of Hollywood spy movies have gone mainstream for some time now with organizations realizing its importance in restrictive entry. Available everywhere you will come across the use of this technology in both standard electronics and high-security building. Nowadays Smartphone is also providing such features to the mobile users. Too simple passwords and PIN codes are easy to breach so people require something more fool proof especially at organizational levels where security of data and resources takes much priority.

These scanners will allow only those individuals inside who have clearance for access to particular departments. When you want to go for authorized entry restrictions, nothing can beat the use of these top-of-the-line systems. Since every person has a unique fingerprint, duplicating this is impossible in every way barring expansive preparations. The tiny skin ridges present on the fingertips reflect a combination of environmental factors and genetic make-up of the individual. As a result, it turns into unique marker with which to identify a person.

While to the naked eye one tip may appear the same as another, scanning software will not make any such mistakes. They will immediately identify the differences and allow or restrict you accordingly. The technology used in the finger scanner is quite simple. It takes fingertip image, matching it with the available scanned images in the database. Comparison is done between the patterns associated with valleys and ridges or the fingertip bumps. For access, a perfect matching between the two is required.

Most of these are optical scanners that contain a CCD device with sensory light system, which is similar to that used in the camcorders and digital cameras. When an individual moves his/her fingertip on the glass, CCD will take thumbprint. It will illuminate fingertip ridges prominently creating inverted images that place the focus upon the valleys. Acceptable accuracy and quality of image make it acceptable, with the CCD being the decision maker based upon pixel darkness and image definition.

Capacitance scanners also work in the same way, but uses electrical current instead of light print sensing. Dermis of your skin, the ridges are nonconductive whereas the valleys are conductive. So when you touch the sensor, it will measure the conductivity differences due to ridges and based upon this will create fingerprint image for comparison against the original. The scanners compare only the specific fingerprint areas, also known as the minutiae. These focus upon the point where ending of ridgeline occurs where it splits in multiple ridges, the bifurcations.

Single fingers come with innumerable minutiae so instead of undertaking the futile task of comparing each the scanner only restricts the search to a preprogrammed number. This allows them to determine whether the prints before them are identical. During initial fingerprint setting, the device identifies a minutiae series and store associated data. As a result, there is no more need of taking picture of the entire fingertip increasing the security.

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About The Author

Benson Hedge is a pioneer in the field of biometric identity management and runs his own organization manufacturing security systems relating to this technology. He also likes to spread awareness about the many aspects related to the industry through the many informative articles he writes.

Crossmatch provides a variety of identity management solutions such as fingerprint biometric hardware, strong authentication software and developer tools.