Presenters of this topic were Ayoub Mugube and John M. Malasa.

Introduction

Their presentation was explained on what fingerprint recognition is, its history, classification of fingerprint recognition, fingerprint visibility, advantages and disadvantages of fingerprint recognition and the challenges that faces the technology.

Fingerprint recognition is one of the biometric methods that uses fingerprint to uniquely identify the person. Fingerprints of each individual are different from another. For this matter it also refers to an automated method of verifying two or more human fingerprints. A fingerprint is the impression left upon any surface with which the finger comes in contact under pressure.

Fingerprint recognition is very much preferred due to the fact that no two individuals can have the same fingerprint, also fingerprint patterns of an individual remains unchanged for entire life unless chemical burning has done to the surface of skin. Injuries on finger have not seen to be able to cause the fingerprint to change as long as the finger recovers its skin. Limited variety in patterns allows systematic classification of an individuals fingerprints.

There are three types of common patterns of fingerprints that are used for identification these are loops (65%), whorls (30%), and arches (5%).

Although fingerprints can be seen with naked eyes in some objects but it requires machines to be seen in some of the objects like glass it requires some complicated methods plus chemicals to see them.

The processes of taking fingerprints are done in two ways such as the offline sensing (ink technique) in which a finger in pressed to ink then to the paper which is then going to be scanned and live scan sensing which requires digital scanning devices.

Both of the methods has strengths and weakness example offline sensing has advantage that can produce rolled image which as well carries more information although in other way if not properly pressed it can capture only few information that will not be enough for identification. In other side live scan sensing is easy to learn and use but requires more attention on use such as cleaning the area where finger com in contact with lens.

Advantages of fingerprint is that since they do not change naturally they can be good identification and for security purpose, it can be applied to Modern computers, cars, automatic doors, the method its reliability is superior compared to other biometric method. Fingerprints identification is strong than the DNA analysis.

The main disadvantages of fingerprints is that if someone use chemical methods to burn their fingers it will be impossible to be more identified since the new prints will be different to the former one.

Challenges

The challenges on fingerprints technology is that finger prints are stored in the database can be easily determined by hackers. Finger print has still no way to work with burned finger or if fingers are chopped off.

Generally their discussion was impressive and they managed very well to answer the questions and clear droughts that the class was having with the help of lecturer Prof. Matti. They also contextualized by giving the examples that are within such as the use of fingerprint in cense, during election and in getting passport.