Three-dimensional face and finger biometrics

The use of dense range scans of the face to supplement or supplant visible-light images in face recognition systems has been a subject of recent interest in the biometrics community. This paper summarizes recent research activities designed to assess the potential of a high-resolution 3D face scan as a viable biometric, using a large database of such scans. We show that 3D faces offer potential for this application but also exhibit challenges that must be addressed before systems based on 3D face can be fielded. We also describe preliminary results from a study of 3D hand shape biometrics employing curvature classification of the finger skin surface.