Fingerprint vitality detection, quality evaluation and forensics

PRA group is currently working on analysis of liveness and quality of fingerprint images, with applications to forensics.

 

Fingerprint Liveness Detection

It has been shown (see Bibliography section) that it is possible to reproduce fingerprints and replicating macro- and micro- details of them into a "stamp" made up of gelatine or liquid silicon rubber. Standard sensors are not able to discriminate between an image coming from a "live" finger and an image from a replica (a "fake" finger). Therefore, "fingerprint liveness detection" methods are aimed to perform this classification (live/fake). Contributions of PRA group on this topic are:

  • Critical survey on state-of-the-art about this issue
  • Proposal of methods for combining "static" and "dynamic" features
  • A new method based on the frequency analysis of fingerprint images

PRA group, in cooperation with Biomedical Signal Analysis Laboratory of Clarkson University, leaded by Prof. Stephanie Schuckers, is also organizer of the "First Fingerprint Liveness Detection Competition LivDet 2009". Participants to this event will submit their own fingerprint liveness detection algorithm which will be evaluated according to several parameters. Further information at LivDet09 website.

 

Evaluation of the quality of fingerprint images

This is an important issue because the quality impact on the verification errors of authentication systems, but also may help a fraudulent attacker in confusing the access when he tries to circumvent the system by a fake finger. PRA group, in cooperation with  ATVS group from Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, leaded by Prof. Javier Ortega, performed an experimental assessment of several quality evaluation algorithms, aimed to point out their reliability when differnent sensors are adopted.

 

Fingerprints and forensics

Liveness and quality of fingerprint images are important issues even in forensic applications. In particular, PRA group is working on the assessment of the liveness and the improvement of the quality of latent fingerprint images. This is done in cooperation with "Raggruppamento Carabinieri Investigazioni Scientifiche" (RaCIS) of "Arma dei Carabinieri", which is the militia maintained by the Italian government for police duties. Main result of this cooperation has been the so-called "Fingerprint Forensic Tool",  a software tool able to support dactiloscopists in enhancing latent fingerprint images and assessing their liveness.

 

People working on this topic:

  • Pietro Coli
  • Gian Luca Marcialis