Fingerprint self-captures: Usability of a fingerprint system with real-time feedback

The performance of a biometric system depends on the quality of interaction of the biometric subject and the system. Past research has shown that fingerprint image quality is improved when the subjects received feedback from the system. However, the availability of feedback from current fingerprint systems is very limited. Currently, no feedback exists regarding the subject's hand positioning and how to correct any undesirable positions. In a study by Guan, Theofanos, Choong, and Stanton, the researchers designed a rich, quality-driven interactive real-time algorithm for detecting hand positioning and analyzing fingerprint images. The current paper investigates if subjects can perform fingerprint self-captures by following the real-time system feedback and if an overlay guide will help with hand positioning. Eighty subjects participated in a controlled experiment with usability measures on efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction of the system. The findings show that the real-time feedback fingerprint system is a highly usable system. By following the real-time, on-screen textual instructions, participants quickly learned, and felt comfortable and confident to capture their own fingerprints without any assistance. The overlay was perceived as helpful with hand positioning and providing visual feedback of where users' hands were in relation to the scanner area. Based on the results, future research should focus on finding the best format to present the system feedback and investigating if users would benefit from all instructions in graphical format.