Abstract:
The definition of ridges in degraded fingerprint images are not always clear or well defined therefore ridge structures cannot be accurately recognized for processing. This can lead to a number of significant problems like multiple false minutiae may be depicted, invalid minutiae or significant number of errors in the location of minutiae. For robust minutiae extraction mechanism a fingerprint image enhancement algorithm is desired. Mostly forensic laboratories are the biggest user of fingerprint image enhancement mechanisms due to the fact that important details of ridge structures are often degraded in fingerprints that are lifted from crime scenes. Fingerprint smudges left over from a previous fingerprint that had been acquired, or inaccurate contact with the fingerprint acquisition system are some of the reasons for degraded quality of fingerprint images. It is a known research that 2 to 5 percent of the target population has poor quality fingerprints which cannot be accurately recognized or processed using automated image recognition/processing tools. It is suspected that this population is higher when we take into account aged people, people who suffer from frequent injuries to their fingers, people living in extreme weather conditions or have genetically poor fingerprint attributes.
