A Computer Vision Non-Contact 3D System to Improve Fingerprint Acquisition

The fingerprint is one of the most important biometrics, with many acquisition methods developed over the years. Traditional 2D acquisition techniques produce nonlinear distortions due to the forced flattening of the finger onto a 2D surface. These random elastic deformations often introduce matching errors, making 2D techniques less reliable. Inevitably non-contact 3D capturing techniques were developed in an effort to deal with these problems. In this study we present a novel non-contact single camera 3D fingerprint reconstruction system based on fringe projection and a new model for approximating the epidermal ridges. The 3D shape of the fingerprint is reconstructed from a single 2D shading image in two steps. First the original image is decomposed into structure and texture components by an advanced Meyer algorithm. The structural component is reconstructed by a classical fringe projection technique. The textural component, containing the fingerprint information, is restored using a specialized photometric algorithm we call Cylindrical Ridge Model (CRM). CRM is a photometric algorithm that takes advantage of the axial symmetry of the ridges in order to integrate the illumination equation. The two results are combined together to form the 3D fingerprint, which is then digitally unfolded onto a 2D plane for compatibility with traditional 2D impressions. This paper describes the prototype 3D imaging system developed along with the calibration procedure, the reconstruction algorithm and the unwrapping process of the resulting 3D fingerprint, necessary for the performance evaluation of the method.

Quality measurement of unwrapped three-dimensional fingerprints : a neural networks approach

Traditional biometric systems based on the fingerprint characteristics acquire the biometric samples using touch-based sensors. Some recent researches are focused on the design of touch-less fingerprint recognition systems based on CCD cameras. Most of these systems compute three-dimensional fingertip models and then apply unwrapping techniques in order to obtain images compatible with biometric methods designed for images captured by touch-based sensors. Unwrapped images can present different problems with respect to the traditional fingerprint images. The most important of them is the presence of deformations of the ridge pattern caused by spikes or badly reconstructed regions in the corresponding three-dimensional models. In this paper, we present a neural-based approach for the quality estimation of images obtained from the unwrapping of three-dimensional fingertip models. The paper also presents different sets of features that can be used to evaluate the quality of fingerprint images. Experimental results show that the proposed quality estimation method has an adequate accuracy for the quality classification. The performances of the proposed method are also evaluated in a complete biometric system and compared with the ones obtained by a well-known algorithm in the literature, obtaining satisfactory results

Toward unconstrained fingerprint recognition : a fully touchless 3-D system based on two views on the move

Touchless fingerprint recognition systems do not require contact of the finger with any acquisition surface and thus provide an increased level of hygiene, usability, and user acceptability of fingerprint-based biometric technologies. The most accurate touchless approaches compute 3-D models of the fingertip. However, a relevant drawback of these systems is that they usually require constrained and highly cooperative acquisition methods. We present a novel, fully touchless fingerprint recognition system based on the computation of 3-D models. It adopts an innovative and less-constrained acquisition setup compared with other previously reported 3-D systems, does not require contact with any surface or a finger placement guide, and simultaneously captures multiple images while the finger is moving. To compensate for possible differences in finger placement, we propose novel algorithms for computing 3-D models of the shape of a finger. Moreover, we present a new matching strategy based on the computation of multiple touch-compatible images. We evaluated different aspects of the biometric system: acceptability, usability, recognition performance, robustness to environmental conditions and finger misplacements, and compatibility and interoperability with touch-based technologies. The proposed system proved to be more acceptable and usable than touch-based techniques. Moreover, the system displayed satisfactory accuracy, achieving an equal error rate of 0.06% on a dataset of 2368 samples acquired in a single session and 0.22% on a dataset of 2368 samples acquired over the course of one year. The system was also robust to environmental conditions and to a wide range of finger rotations. The compatibility and interoperability with touch-based technologies was greater or comparable to those reported in public tests using commercial touchless devices

Roadmap on label-free super-resolution imaging

Label-free super-resolution (LFSR) imaging relies on light-scattering processes in nanoscale objects without a need for fluorescent (FL) staining required in super-resolved FL microscopy. The objectives of this Roadmap are to present a comprehensive vision of the developments, the state-of-the-art in this field, and to discuss the resolution boundaries and hurdles that need to be overcome to break the classical diffraction limit of the label-free imaging. The scope of this Roadmap spans from the advanced interference detection techniques, where the diffraction-limited lateral resolution is combined with unsurpassed axial and temporal resolution, to techniques with true lateral super-resolution capability that are based on understanding resolution as an information science problem, on using novel structured illumination, near-field scanning, and nonlinear optics approaches, and on designing superlenses based on nanoplasmonics, metamaterials, transformation optics, and microsphere-assisted approaches. To this end, this Roadmap brings under the same umbrella researchers from the physics and biomedical optics communities in which such studies have often been developing separately. The ultimate intent of this paper is to create a vision for the current and future developments of LFSR imaging based on its physical mechanisms and to create a great opening for the series of articles in this field

Roadmap on Label-Free Super-resolution Imaging

Label-free super-resolution (LFSR) imaging relies on light-scattering processes in nanoscale objects without a need for fluorescent (FL) staining required in super-resolved FL microscopy. The objectives of this Roadmap are to present a comprehensive vision of the developments, the state-of-the-art in this field, and to discuss the resolution boundaries and hurdles that need to be overcome to break the classical diffraction limit of the label-free imaging. The scope of this Roadmap spans from the advanced interference detection techniques, where the diffraction-limited lateral resolution is combined with unsurpassed axial and temporal resolution, to techniques with true lateral super-resolution capability that are based on understanding resolution as an information science problem, on using novel structured illumination, near-field scanning, and nonlinear optics approaches, and on designing superlenses based on nanoplasmonics, metamaterials, transformation optics, and microsphere-assisted approaches. To this end, this Roadmap brings under the same umbrella researchers from the physics and biomedical optics communities in which such studies have often been developing separately. The ultimate intent of this paper is to create a vision for the current and future developments of LFSR imaging based on its physical mechanisms and to create a great opening for the series of articles in this field.Peer reviewe

Deep Learning Methods for Fingerprint-Based Indoor and Outdoor Positioning

Outdoor positioning systems based on the Global Navigation Satellite System have several shortcomings that have deemed their use for indoor positioning impractical. Location fingerprinting, which utilizes machine learning, has emerged as a viable method and solution for indoor positioning due to its simple concept and accurate performance. In the past, shallow learning algorithms were traditionally used in location fingerprinting. Recently, the research community started utilizing deep learning methods for fingerprinting after witnessing the great success and superiority these methods have over traditional/shallow machine learning algorithms. The contribution of this dissertation is fourfold: First, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based method for localizing a smartwatch indoors using geomagnetic field measurements is presented. The proposed method was tested on real world data in an indoor environment composed of three corridors of different lengths and three rooms of different sizes. Experimental results show a promising location classification accuracy of 97.77% with a mean localization error of 0.14 meter (m). Second, a method that makes use of cellular signals emitting from a serving eNodeB to provide symbolic indoor positioning is presented. The proposed method utilizes Denoising Autoencoders (DAEs) to mitigate the effects of cellular signal loss. The proposed method was evaluated using real-world data collected from two different smartphones inside a representative apartment of eight symbolic spaces. Experimental results verify that the proposed method outperforms conventional symbolic indoor positioning techniques in various performance metrics. Third, an investigation is conducted to determine whether Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) and Conditional Variational Autoencoders (CVAEs) are able to learn the distribution of the minority symbolic spaces, for a highly imbalanced fingerprinting dataset, so as to generate synthetic fingerprints that promote enhancements in a classifier\u27s performance. Experimental results show that this is indeed the case. By using various performance evaluation metrics, the achieved results are compared to those obtained by two state-of-the-art oversampling methods known as Synthetic Minority Oversampling TEchnique (SMOTE) and ADAptive SYNthetic (ADASYN) sampling. Fourth, a novel dataset of outdoor location fingerprints is presented. The proposed dataset, named OutFin, addresses the lack of publicly available datasets that researchers can use to develop, evaluate, and compare fingerprint-based positioning solutions which can constitute a high entry barrier for studies. OutFin is comprised of diverse data types such as WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular signal strengths, in addition to measurements from various sensors including the magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and ambient light sensor. The collection area spanned four dispersed sites with a total of 122 Reference Points (RPs). Before OutFin was made available to the public, several experiments were conducted to validate its technical quality

CONTACTLESS FINGERPRINT BIOMETRICS: ACQUISITION, PROCESSING, AND PRIVACY PROTECTION

Biometrics is defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as \u201cthe automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioral and biological characteristics\u201d Examples of distinctive features evaluated by biometrics, called biometric traits, are behavioral characteristics like the signature, gait, voice, and keystroke, and biological characteristics like the fingerprint, face, iris, retina, hand geometry, palmprint, ear, and DNA. The biometric recognition is the process that permits to establish the identity of a person, and can be performed in two modalities: verification, and identification. The verification modality evaluates if the identity declared by an individual corresponds to the acquired biometric data. Differently, in the identification modality, the recognition application has to determine a person's identity by comparing the acquired biometric data with the information related to a set of individuals. Compared with traditional techniques used to establish the identity of a person, biometrics offers a greater confidence level that the authenticated individual is not impersonated by someone else. Traditional techniques, in fact, are based on surrogate representations of the identity, like tokens, smart cards, and passwords, which can easily be stolen or copied with respect to biometric traits. This characteristic permitted a wide diffusion of biometrics in different scenarios, like physical access control, government applications, forensic applications, logical access control to data, networks, and services. Most of the biometric applications, also called biometric systems, require performing the acquisition process in a highly controlled and cooperative manner. In order to obtain good quality biometric samples, the acquisition procedures of these systems need that the users perform deliberate actions, assume determinate poses, and stay still for a time period. Limitations regarding the applicative scenarios can also be present, for example the necessity of specific light and environmental conditions. Examples of biometric technologies that traditionally require constrained acquisitions are based on the face, iris, fingerprint, and hand characteristics. Traditional face recognition systems need that the users take a neutral pose, and stay still for a time period. Moreover, the acquisitions are based on a frontal camera and performed in controlled light conditions. Iris acquisitions are usually performed at a distance of less than 30 cm from the camera, and require that the user assume a defined pose and stay still watching the camera. Moreover they use near infrared illumination techniques, which can be perceived as dangerous for the health. Fingerprint recognition systems and systems based on the hand characteristics require that the users touch the sensor surface applying a proper and uniform pressure. The contact with the sensor is often perceived as unhygienic and/or associated to a police procedure. This kind of constrained acquisition techniques can drastically reduce the usability and social acceptance of biometric technologies, therefore decreasing the number of possible applicative contexts in which biometric systems could be used. In traditional fingerprint recognition systems, the usability and user acceptance are not the only negative aspects of the used acquisition procedures since the contact of the finger with the sensor platen introduces a security lack due to the release of a latent fingerprint on the touched surface, the presence of dirt on the surface of the finger can reduce the accuracy of the recognition process, and different pressures applied to the sensor platen can introduce non-linear distortions and low-contrast regions in the captured samples. Other crucial aspects that influence the social acceptance of biometric systems are associated to the privacy and the risks related to misuses of biometric information acquired, stored and transmitted by the systems. One of the most important perceived risks is related to the fact that the persons consider the acquisition of biometric traits as an exact permanent filing of their activities and behaviors, and the idea that the biometric systems can guarantee recognition accuracy equal to 100\% is very common. Other perceived risks consist in the use of the collected biometric data for malicious purposes, for tracing all the activities of the individuals, or for operating proscription lists. In order to increase the usability and the social acceptance of biometric systems, researchers are studying less-constrained biometric recognition techniques based on different biometric traits, for example, face recognition systems in surveillance applications, iris recognition techniques based on images captured at a great distance and on the move, and contactless technologies based on the fingerprint and hand characteristics. Other recent studies aim to reduce the real and perceived privacy risks, and consequently increase the social acceptance of biometric technologies. In this context, many studies regard methods that perform the identity comparison in the encrypted domain in order to prevent possible thefts and misuses of biometric data. The objective of this thesis is to research approaches able to increase the usability and social acceptance of biometric systems by performing less-constrained and highly accurate biometric recognitions in a privacy compliant manner. In particular, approaches designed for high security contexts are studied in order improve the existing technologies adopted in border controls, investigative, and governmental applications. Approaches based on low cost hardware configurations are also researched with the aim of increasing the number of possible applicative scenarios of biometric systems. The privacy compliancy is considered as a crucial aspect in all the studied applications. Fingerprint is specifically considered in this thesis, since this biometric trait is characterized by high distinctivity and durability, is the most diffused trait in the literature, and is adopted in a wide range of applicative contexts. The studied contactless biometric systems are based on one or more CCD cameras, can use two-dimensional or three-dimensional samples, and include privacy protection methods. The main goal of these systems is to perform accurate and privacy compliant recognitions in less-constrained applicative contexts with respect to traditional fingerprint biometric systems. Other important goals are the use of a wider fingerprint area with respect to traditional techniques, compatibility with the existing databases, usability, social acceptance, and scalability. The main contribution of this thesis consists in the realization of novel biometric systems based on contactless fingerprint acquisitions. In particular, different techniques for every step of the recognition process based on two-dimensional and three-dimensional samples have been researched. Novel techniques for the privacy protection of fingerprint data have also been designed. The studied approaches are multidisciplinary since their design and realization involved optical acquisition systems, multiple view geometry, image processing, pattern recognition, computational intelligence, statistics, and cryptography. The implemented biometric systems and algorithms have been applied to different biometric datasets describing a heterogeneous set of applicative scenarios. Results proved the feasibility of the studied approaches. In particular, the realized contactless biometric systems have been compared with traditional fingerprint recognition systems, obtaining positive results in terms of accuracy, usability, user acceptability, scalability, and security. Moreover, the developed techniques for the privacy protection of fingerprint biometric systems showed satisfactory performances in terms of security, accuracy, speed, and memory usage