Fingerprint scans are frequently used in the security industry as a form of Biometric Access Control, and for good reason. It doesn’t ask the user for anything more than a touch on a scanner, making it a fast, secure, and convenient defence mechanism. It’s because of this that they have found popularity on smartphones, as well as in the wider public conscious. But what’s the logic behind them?

The Basics: What is a Fingerprint Scan and how Does it Work? 

A fingerprint scan is an electronic security measure that uses the touch of your finger to grant a user access to a facility or to some form of resource. All biometric scanners will use a unique part of the body or aspect of a person to identify someone. Thus, these devices simply use your fingerprint, or sometimes the palm or your hand’s geometry, to determine this.  

As we discussed in a Recent Article, physical characteristics are the most common differential used in biometric access. Fingerprints are one such characteristic, so these scanners can work by analysing the unique ridges of the finger to correctly identify someone.
 

The Types: Optical, Capacitive, and Ultrasonic

There are three main types of fingerprint scan that a Biometric Reader can perform. These include:

• Optical Scan – Shines a bright light over your finger to take a photo of it.
• Capacitive Scan – Based on human conductivity, this creates an image on your finger using its electrostatic field.
• Ultrasonic Scan – Uses soundwaves to differentiate fingerprints, but it’s still in early development. 
   

The Benefits: Advantages and Disadvantages

Biometric access controls can deliver a comprehensive Security Solution to any residential building or business. And fingerprint scans can play a key role in this despite a few minor drawbacks:

• Pro – It’s a cost-effective security system
• Pro – Convenient and familiar for users
• Pro – Identifies unique individuals whilst being highly difficult to hack or fake
• Con – Some concerns over germs (as is the case with any touch-based system)
• Con – Injuries can prevent a fingerprint scan

If you’d like to read more about fingerprint scanners by Johnson Controls, then check out our Biometric Security Solutions Here. Alternatively, for a similar article, Discover How Facial Recognition Works Here.