Touch screen fingerprint recognition

New touch screens can identify users based on the fingerprints they leave on the surface, which can redefine network security and how we interact with computers.

>>> Touch screen technology breakthrough

New fingerprint-detecting fingerprints (Photo: New Scientist)

Touch screens now emit light, but they can not sense it, which makes it impossible to recognize fingerprints unless an additional sensor is attached.

Experts Christian Holz and Patrick Baudisch of the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany want to change this situation.

According to the New Scientist, they introduced the prototype touch screen, using a large-sized glass tablet screen, containing millions of tiny fiber optic strands braided.

Each fiber emits rays from an image that is projected onto the bottom of the screen, while the infrared light emits light from the fingerprint and echoes the infrared camera.

Holz says the initial tests show that fingerprint recognition capabilities are accurate enough to satisfy the FBI standard.

The next step, researchers are trying to make a touch screen without a projector.