Biometrics Moves Beyond Traditional Legacy Fingerprinting into the Future

On March 3, 2021 the US Department of Commerce issued a study published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology entitled NIST 500-334. Based on their investigation of contactless fingerprint capturing technology (NIST study 2019), a Best Practice Recommendation was issued for a standard of acceptance to be developed for contactless biometrics for mobile devices. Various publications, have since cited this new trend in technology wherein police will have the ability to use their mobile cell phones to capture fingerprints. (WVU, Research Repository, Interoperability/Fingerprints 2021; Wired, 6/17/22 Matt Burgess)

The move from the typical legacy fingerprint pressed onto the surface of a fingerprint card or a glass platen has gone through its own evolution, to now a contactless image captured on a mobile device. Accelerated by hygienic concerns caused by Covid-19 but more importantly of concerns over officer safety, coupled with technological developments with cell phone cameras, this technology has “come of age” making it more affordable and available.

The Biometric Market Today

The demand for the biometric contactless technology and its growing market for identification and verification, as is required by law enforcement and other industries (i.e., Border Patrol, US Customs, Military, Security, and the Health Industries, etc.) is evident by the global marketplace for this advanced technology, estimated by just one study at USD 17.1 Billion in 2022 and forecast to reach USD 78.6 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR 0f 16.4% during 2022-2032. (Fact.MR -report 2022)