Fingerprint matching utilizing non-distal phalanges

Human hand is composed of structures called carpal bones, metacarpal bones and phalanges (which form the fingers). Typically, fingerprint matching is used for personal authentication, with images & features obtained from the “tip” of the fingers, ie. distal phalanges (sections, digits). In this study, we report fingerprint minutiae matching results, with images obtained from proximal and middle phalanges. Experiments conducted on a medium-size database, collected using a commercial low-cost optical (distal) fingerprint sensor without any modification, show that, in applications where distal phalanx images are not usable (e.g. due to missing digits, low quality finger surface due to manual labor), non-distal phalanges may provide an acceptable biometric verification source.