Bruce & Brian Co., Ltd

Fingerprint identification systems have been usually developed on PC platform, although some tasks required a compact solution. Nowadays various embedded and handheld mobile devices offer enough capabilities to integrate biometrical recognition software into them.
The hardware part of an embedded system is mostly a stand-alone device that contains processor, memory, fingerprint scanner and some output display. This part can be developed according to project's specifics, or a ready-to-use device can be obtained.

There is no need to start a sophisticated and costly fingerprint recognition technology development, as it can be licensed for a reasonable price. Additionally, there are technologies optimized for the capabilities of embedded or mobile devices.
Neurotechnology offers the embedded fingerprint identification technology that is suitable to develop a fast and reliable system on embedded or mobile platform.

The technology

FingerCell 2.1 technology is compact, sensor-independent and cross-platform. It offers decent reliability and identification speed for various mobile or embedded devices. The FingerCell algorithm includes these proprietary solutions:
• Full tolerance to fingerprint translation, rotation and deformation;
• Ability to run on low speed processors;
• Ability to recognize a fingerprint from any part of it without any core or delta points;
• Enrollment with features generalization, that combines several samples of the same fingerprint for better quality;
• Identification (1:N) ability;
• Pre-sorting database entries using certain features for faster identification.
Read more about the technology.

The EDK (Embedded Developmen Kit)

FingerCell EDK is based on the FingerCell technology, and is intended for embedded biometric systems developers and integrators. The EDK includes libraries for major operating systems and embedded platforms, drivers for embedded sensors and source codes for sample applications. The FingerCell ANSI C source code package could be also obtained to port the software to another platforms.

The following types of EDK are available:
• FingerCell Library EDK is intended for biometric system projects using hardware based on ARM processors. You can download trial version of FingerCell Library EDK to try it on your hardware. Read more…
• FingerCell source code EDK is intended for large biometric system projects using third party or custom hardware. It includes FingerCell source code, samples and documentation for MS Windows CE and Linux. Read more…

Why FingerCell?

The FingerCell algorithm, developed on the VeriFinger basis, is designed for embedded biometric systems developers. The algorithm has certain capabilities: • Reliability. As FingerCell is intended for embedded devices, it uses a faster and less powerful fingerprint noise filtration algorithm with a slightly higher False Rejection Rate than a PC running the VeriFinger algorithm. However, the FingerCell algorithm still produces a decent level of recognition reliability, which is acceptable for embedded devices. Receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curves obtained in testing with two scanner databases compare FingerCell 2.1 (green) and VeriFinger 5.0 (red) reliability under the same conditions. • Low speed processors are supported. For example, a 75 MHz ARM7 processor performs verification in about 2 seconds when FingerCell algorithm is used.		Atmel Fingerchip Click to zoom

		DigitalPersona U.are.U 4000 Click to zoom

• Identification ability. As FingerCell is developed on the VeriFinger basis, it is suitable not only for fingerprint verification (1:1 matching), but also for identification (1:N matching). FingerCell can match up to 700 fingerprints per second in 1:N identification mode on 200 MHz ARM family CPU.
• Image processing speed. Fingerprint image processing time is less than 1 second on 200 MHz ARM processor, which is acceptable for embedded systems.
• Compact software. Compiled code and internal data arrays require only 400 Kb of memory and therefore can be implemented in low memory microchips, thus reducing hardware costs.
• Available for various project scales as FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK or FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK.
• Portability. FingerCell Embedded Development Kit is designed for easy implementation into very various and specific applications. The algorithm's source code is written in ANSI C and is sensor independent; therefore it can be ported to various platforms and hardware.
• Embedded and PC-based multi-biometric capable technologies from the same vendor. Combined with our other technologies, FingerCell could be used in developing these advanced systems:
   ° Mixed embedded/PC systems, using FingerCell EDK together with VeriFinger Standard or Extended SDKs.
   ° Multi-biometric embedded systems, using FingerCell EDK together with FaceCell EDK.
   ° Complex multi-biometric embedded/PC systems, using a combination of FingerCell EDK, FaceCell EDK, VeriFinger SDK and VeriLook SDK.

Algorithm

The FingerCell algorithm is similar to the VeriFinger algorithm and includes these features:

• FingerCell is fully tolerant to fingerprint translation, rotation and deformation. Such tolerance is achieved by our proprietary fingerprint matching algorithm.
• FingerCell does not require the presence of fingerprint core or delta points in the image and can recognize a fingerprint from any part of it.
• FingerCell has fingerprint enrollment with features generalization mode. This mode generates a collection of the generalized fingerprint features from a collection of fingerprints of the same finger. Each fingerprint image is processed and features are extracted. Then the collection of features is analyzed and combined into a single generalized features collection which is written to the database. This way, enrolled minutiae are more reliable and the fingerprint recognition quality considerably increases using this enrollment mode.
• FingerCell can use database entries which were pre-sorted using certain global features. Fingerprint matching is performed first with the database entries having global features most similar to those of the test fingerprint. If matching within this group yields no positive result, then the next record with most similar global features is selected, and so on until the matching is successful or the end of the database is reached. In most cases there is a good chance that the correct match will be found at the beginning of the search. As a result, the number of comparisons required to achieve fingerprint identification decreases drastically, and correspondingly, the effective matching speed increases.
• The template extraction is adapted for low speed embedded processors to provide fast image processing and feature extraction.

Please note, that these specifications were determined on device with 200 MHz ARM family processor.

Neurotechnology offers a FingerCell 2.1 EDK trial. This 30 day trial kit allows developers to explore the technology and to try it in real environments and real applications.
FingerCell EDK includes samples for iPAQ Pocket PC h5500 and iPAQ Pocket PC hx2700 series devices with integrated fingerprint sensors. Note that FingerCell 2.1 EDK trial requires constant Internet connection during evaluation.
FingerCell 2.1 EDK trial is available for downloading.

FingerCell Embedded Development Kit (EDK) is based on the FingerCell embedded fingerprint recognition algorithm that is especially designed to be used in embedded low-power and comparably low-CPU-power applications. FingerCell EDK includes libraries for ARM Linux and ARM Windows CE embedded platforms, as well as drivers for embedded sensors and source codes for sample applications.

Customers who want to use another platform can obtain the FingerCell ANSI C source code package and port the software to the required platform.

The following types of FingerCell 2.1 EDK are available:

• FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK – is intended for biometric system projects using hardware based on ARM processors. Includes FingerCell library, programming samples and documentation for Windows CE and Linux.
• FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK – is intended for large biometric system projects using third party or custom hardware. Includes FingerCell source code, samples and documentation for MS Windows CE and Linux.

The table below compares different types of FingerCell EDK:

FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK includes the FingerCell 2.1 library for developing custom products. The developed product can run on ARM-based platform under Linux or Microsoft Windows CE.

FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK contains the following components:
• MS Windows CE components:
   ° FingerCell 2.1 library (for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 with SP1)
   ° Source code of FingerCell library usage sample application in Visual C++ 2005 SP1
• ARM Linux components:
   ° FingerCell 2.1 library (for Arm-Linux GCC C compiler)
   ° Source code of sample embedded application in ANSI C (project for Arm-Linux GCC C compiler)
   ° User-space drivers for image input from Tacoma CMOS, Startek FM200, AuthenTec AF-S2, AuthenTec AES4000 and Fujitsu MBF200 fingerprint sensors via USB port
• FingerCell 2.1 EDK documentation.

System requirements
• ARM-based processor:
   ° Minimum requirement: ARM7 processor running at 75 MHz for fingerprint verification in about 2 seconds.
   ° Recommended: ARM-based processor with 200 MHz CPU clock rate for fingerprint enrollment in less than 1 second (ARM processor core families: ARM9, ARM10, ARM11, StrongArm, XScale).
• At least 400 kB of memory for FingerCell code and data arrays (the recommended amount could be different, as it depends on fingerprint image size)
• Fingerprint sensor which driver is included in FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK or is available from scanner manufacturer or other sources
• ARM Linux (glibc 2.3.4 or later) or Microsoft WindowsMobile 2003 (or later) operating system

FingerCell 2.1 EDK trial
Neurotechnology also offers FingerCell 2.1 EDK on a 30 day trial. The downloadable trial kit allows developers to explore the EDK's possibilities and to try it in real environments and real applications. FingerCell EDK includes samples for iPAQ Pocket PC h5500 and iPAQ Pocket PC hx2700 series devices with integrated fingerprint sensors.
Note: FingerCell 2.1 EDK trial requires constant Internet connection during evaluation.

FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK is intended for developers who are going to integrate fingerprint identification technology into a custom embedded device.

FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK contains the following components:
• 10,000 FingerCell 2.1 installation licenses
• FingerCell 2.1 source code:
   ° Project for GCC compiler (ARM-Linux platform)
   ° Project for MS Visual Studio 2005 (Pocket PC 2003 platform)
• FingerCell 2.1 Algorithm and Source Code Description
• Sample applications:
   ° Project for GCC compiler (ARM-Linux platform)
   ° Project for MS Visual Studio 2005 (Pocket PC 2003 platform)
• Linux user-space drivers' source codes for Tacoma CMOS, Startek FM200, AuthenTec AF-S2, AuthenTec AES4000 and Fujitsu MBF200 fingerprint sensors connected via USB port
• FingerCell 2.1 EDK developers' guide

System requirements
• ARM-based processor:
   ° Minimum requirement: ARM7 processor running at 75 MHz for fingerprint verification in about 2 seconds.
   ° Recommended: ARM-based processor with 200 MHz CPU clock rate for fingerprint enrollment in less than 1 second (ARM processor core families: ARM9, ARM10, ARM11, StrongArm, XScale).
• At least 400 kB of memory for FingerCell code and data arrays (the recommended amount could be different, as it depends on fingerprint image size)
• Fingerprint sensor which driver is included in FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK or is available from scanner manufacturer or other sources
• ARM Linux (glibc 2.3.4 or later) or Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 (or later) operating system
Please note that FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK can be easily ported to most other platforms and processors using ANSI C compiler.

Neurotechnology offers Template Management and Conversion Add-on - a product for template standards support integration for systems based on VeriFinger or FingerCell EDK.

To develop a product based on FingerCell technology, an integrator should obtain FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK (EUR 4,900) or FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK (EUR 17,190). The integrator can develop only an end-user product using FingerCell 2.1 EDK and sell/install the product to the end-users*. FingerCell 2.1 EDK customers can obtain additional FingerCell 2.1 licenses for their product installation or development at any time.

FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK
Customers should sign the FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK Software Licensing Agreement before purchasing FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK.
1,500 FingerCell 2.1 installation licenses are already included with the FingerCell 2.1 Library EDK license. Additional FingerCell 2.1 installation licenses may be purchased anytime.

FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK
Customers should sign the FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK Software Licensing Agreement before purchasing FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK.
10,000 FingerCell 2.1 installation licenses are already included with the FingerCell 2.1 source code EDK license. Additional FingerCell 2.1 installation licenses may be purchased anytime.
Please, contact us for more information about FingerCell 2.1 source code licensing.

* If the integrator wants to develop and sell a FingerCell based development tool (with API, programming possibilities, programming samples, etc.), he/she will need a Neurotechnology permission and shall sign a special VAR agreement.