TY - JOUR
T1 - A Quantitative Analysis Study on the Effects of Moisture and Light Source on FTIR Fingerprint Image Quality
AU - Shin, Manjae
AU - Lee, Seungbong
AU - Baek, Seungbin
AU - Lee, Sunghoon
AU - Kim, Sungmin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by the authors.
PY - 2025/2
Y1 - 2025/2
N2 - The frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) optical fingerprint scanning method is widely used due to its cost-effectiveness. However, fingerprint image quality is highly dependent on fingertip surface conditions, with moisture generally considered a degrading factor. Interestingly, a prior study reported that excessive moisture may improve image quality, though their findings were based on qualitative observations, necessitating further quantitative analysis. Additionally, since the FTIR method relies on optical principles, image quality is also influenced by the wavelength of the light source. In this study, we conducted a preliminary clinical experiment to quantitatively analyze the impact of moisture levels on fingertips (wet, dry, and control) and light wavelengths (red, green, and blue) on FTIR fingerprint image quality. A total of 20 male and female participants with no physical impairments were involved. The results suggest that FTIR fingerprint image quality may improve under wet conditions and when illuminated with green and blue light sources compared to dry conditions and red light. Statistical evidence supports this consistent trend. However, given the limited sample size, the statistical validity and generalizability of these findings should be interpreted with caution. These insights provide a basis for optimizing fingerprint imaging conditions, potentially enhancing the reliability and accuracy of automatic fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) by reducing variations in individual fingerprint quality.
AB - The frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) optical fingerprint scanning method is widely used due to its cost-effectiveness. However, fingerprint image quality is highly dependent on fingertip surface conditions, with moisture generally considered a degrading factor. Interestingly, a prior study reported that excessive moisture may improve image quality, though their findings were based on qualitative observations, necessitating further quantitative analysis. Additionally, since the FTIR method relies on optical principles, image quality is also influenced by the wavelength of the light source. In this study, we conducted a preliminary clinical experiment to quantitatively analyze the impact of moisture levels on fingertips (wet, dry, and control) and light wavelengths (red, green, and blue) on FTIR fingerprint image quality. A total of 20 male and female participants with no physical impairments were involved. The results suggest that FTIR fingerprint image quality may improve under wet conditions and when illuminated with green and blue light sources compared to dry conditions and red light. Statistical evidence supports this consistent trend. However, given the limited sample size, the statistical validity and generalizability of these findings should be interpreted with caution. These insights provide a basis for optimizing fingerprint imaging conditions, potentially enhancing the reliability and accuracy of automatic fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) by reducing variations in individual fingerprint quality.
KW - biometric
KW - clinical study
KW - fingerprint
KW - frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR)
KW - statistical analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85219213938&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/s25041276
DO - 10.3390/s25041276
M3 - Article
C2 - 40006506
AN - SCOPUS:85219213938
SN - 1424-3210
VL - 25
JO - Sensors
JF - Sensors
IS - 4
M1 - 1276
ER -