AIRprint Fingerprint Recognition From a Distance

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AIRprint Fingerprint Recognition From a Distance
Short Title AIRprint Allows Fingerprint Recognition From a Distance
Location United States
Date 2011

Solove Harm Identification
Information Physical Characteristics, Identifying
Threat Actors Advanced Optical Systems Inc., the United States Marine Corps

Individuals
Affected Individuals entering military installations
High Risk Groups
Tangible Harms

Advanced Optical Systems Inc. has developed a technology that allows identifying individuals by scanning their fingerprints from a distance of two meters.

Description

A company called Advanced Optical Systems (AOS) has developed a prototype of a device, called The AIRprint biometric sensor that can scan fingerprints from up to two meters away using just two 1.3 megapixel cameras and polarized light.

It detects fingerprints by shining polarized light onto a person’s hand and analyzing the reflection using two cameras configured to detect different polarizations.Identification

The prototype needs 0.1 seconds to scan a fingerprint and about 4 seconds to process it. The possibility to scan fingerprints from a distance allows identifying individuals without them even knowing.

One potential customer of the AOS is the United States Marine Corps. Normally, individuals entering military installations must place their fingers on a scanner, with a Marine standing beside them. The purpose of using the AIRprint is to have a safe distance between the Marine and the person being scanned.