From Scotland Yard to touchless authentication – fingerprinting makes its mark

Abstract

While biometrics is still an emerging field of study, its most recognisable application – fingerprinting – is anything but. Artefacts and records show that cultures like ancient Babylon used fingerprints for business transactions, and there is documented evidence from 14th century Persia1 of people being identified via their fingerprints. But the practice really took off in the 19th century, punctuated by Sir Francis Galton's research on fingerprinting as a means of unique identification. And the approach adopted around that time – dipping a finger into ink and rolling it onto paper – has remained more or less constant for the past century.