Fake finger detection using an electrotactile display system

Fingerprint recognition is the most popular biometrics but the current fingerprint authentication system can still be easily circumvented by fake fingers. In this paper, we propose a novel method to detect fake finger using tactile sensation. It relies on an additional ability of a live finger, the sense of touch. Such tactile perception capability is absent in the dead or a totally fake finger. Based on this concept, an electrotactile display system capable of presenting tactile pattern is developed. This is then correlated with the pattern shown visually to the user. The system does not produce any visible, auditory or other clues and as such, its strength is only dependent on the number of visible patterns available for the user to select. Preliminary result obtained from the prototype system shows that the proposed approach is indeed able to detect gelatin fake finger worn over live fingers, even when the gelatin is only 1mm thick.