Roll versus Plain Prints: An Experimental Study Using the NIST SD 29 Database

The fingerprint image acquired using a sensor is impacted by several factors including the imaging technology, platen area, sensing resolution, etc. Due to these factors, fingerprint images obtained using different sensors can be significantly different [1]. Another factor that impacts the photometric and geometric characteristics of a fingerprint image is the acquisition methodology that is employed to procure the fingerprint. For example, contactbased sensors can obtain rolled prints, dab prints or 4 finger slap/plain prints by requiring the subject to interact with the sensor in a particular manner. This results in images whose inherent characteristics are significantly different (see Fig. 1). In this narrative, the compatibility of rolled prints with slap prints is examined by conducting experiments on the NIST SD 29 database using the NIST fingerprint matching software (NFIS).