Fingerprints are formed by the so-called friction ridges on our fingertips. These characteristic lines in the skin are unique for every person and even for each finger. Thus, they are also suitable for the actuation of security techniques. Locks which can be opened by fingerprint, a few years ago exclusively known from Hollywood spy films, are now increasingly catching on also for corporate and home doors. One of the main reasons: people cannot forget their fingers, and the well-known regular key search through the whole house does not apply to the use of fingerprint locks.
Of course questions about safety and reliability arise for each user of such systems. Therefore VdS, Europe's number one Institute for security, has developed guidelines for the safe design of biometric recognition methods (VdS 3112) in close collaboration with researchers and manufacturers. A new development of the company BKS in Velbert/Germany, a company of the Gretsch-Unitas Group, now has the first world's first fingerprint-actuated locking system to receive the approval according to the new VdS 3112.
