Fingerprint Scanners Are Becoming Mainstream

If you are a movie enthusiastic, you have probably seen computerized fingerprint scanners on the big screen. Up until the turn of the century, such devices were considered futuristic technology by many. However, fingerprint scanners have been in the works for many years and are now being used in high-security buildings and on privately owned devices. In fact, you can purchase a relatively inexpensive USB fingerprint scanner to protect information on your personal computer. Why is fingerprint scanning technology becoming more prevalent in law enforcement and for security purposes? How is it superior to other forms of identification?

A great amount of research has been carried out to prove that no two fingerprints are alike. Advanced computer algorithms have been created to test billions of fingerprints and the results continually confirm the widespread belief that every single person’s set of fingerprints are unique. Just like every other aspect of the human body, the ridges on your hands are determined by your DNA and environmental factors. Even identical twins do not share the same fingerprint. When twins are developing in the uterus, their individual positions will cause many detectable differences in their prints.

At a glance, two fingerprints may look essentially the same. However, with advanced fingerprint scanners, even the most minute differences can be detected. Fingerprint scanners take the place of fingerprint analysis carried out by humans. There are several benefits to this including greater accuracy and quicker results. These are the primary reasons that such devices are being used more often in law enforcement and for security.

Fingerprint scanners take an image of a person’s finger. They then need to determine whether the image matches pre-scanned images that are already in its system. How is this type of identification any better than traditional methods? Consider identification cards for a moment. ID cards can be lost or stolen. There is also a big underground market for fake ID cards. Passcodes, passwords, of PIN numbers can also be stolen.

By determining who you are instead of what you have or what you know, fingerprint scanners are more reliable. Fingerprint patterns cannot be guessed. You can’t lose or forgot to bring your fingerprints along. Fingerprints are also much harder to fake than ID cards. As a result, the way forward in identification methods focuses quite a bit on advancing fingerprint scanners for greater accuracy and ease of use. Many technology experts predict that such devices will soon become a part of our everyday life.

By: James Nye

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

James Nye is an expert in fingerprint scanners and technology. 360Biometrics.com offers the most comprehensive solutions for security and identification through advanced fingerprint identification solutions.