The End of Fingerprints?

Biometric identification has come a long way since law enforcement automated the process of matching latent fingerprints in the 70s. It’s easy to see why – biometrics are one of the best and most reliable way to identify a person or verify an identity claim. As the core technology improves, its use has expanded into the consumer space and is increasingly becoming part of daily life.

It’s easy and convenient to use your face to unlock a phone or board an airplane. Fingerprints are commonly used to open doors and provide access to offices. The reason biometric technologies are growing in popularity is that they are easy to use, secure and economical. Unlike something you have, like a key or RF-ID card, biometrics don’t need a tangible thing that has to be purchased and managed. In addition, biometrics are difficult to copy, share or distribute. Unlike something you know, like a PIN or password, biometrics don’t have to be remembered so there is no worry that people will write them down. Biometrics are something you are so they can never be lost, forgotten, or stolen. And there is never a need to replace a biometric - they don’t replace your password or PIN - they replace your UserID. It’s a UserID that is secure enough that a password usually isn’t needed.

Fingerprints are the oldest biometric modality. In ancient Babylon, fingerprints were used to seal contracts. But until the 70s, fingerprint matching was done manually. Fingerprints were stored using ink on paper cards and matching was done by people. The invention of automated fingerprint matching enabled the growth and expansion of the entire industry.

Fingerprints are still favored for law enforcement because latent fingerprints are left at crime scenes. But other biometric modalities, such as face, iris and palm/vein are becoming more widespread and are well accepted in the marketplace. Access control and visitor management systems are also starting to use biometrics, most commonly the face modality. Facial recognition is currently the most popular biometric technology and is being used in new and varied ways. Facial recognition is affordable and the hardware is easily installed. In some cases, enrollment can be done by the individual using the camera on a cell phone. It can be deployed at almost any scale.