Biometric Authentication Overview: A Fingerprint Recognition Sensor Description

Biometrics provides an alternative paradigm for the personal authentication: our biological characteristics are unique and can be used to distinguish us from the other persons. Biometrics are automated methods of identifying a person or verifying the identity of a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Examples of physiological characteristics include hand or finger images, facial characteristics, and iris recognition. Behavioral characteristics are traits that are learned or acquired. Dynamic signature verification, speaker verification, and keystroke dynamics are examples of behavioral characteristics. In this paper a general overview of biometric systems based on the principal biometric technologies available and a description of a fingerprint recognition sensor performances are proposed. To test the biometric sensor performances two indexes are used, FAR (false accept rate) and FRR (false reject rate).