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Ultrasonic fingerprint sensors employ ultrasonic waves to map out a three-dimensional image of the fingerprint, similar to how ultrasonic waves are used in sectors like medicine.
FREMONT, CA: When it comes to smartphone biometric security, fingerprint sensors are one of the most popular options. Whether the fingerprint sensor on the phone is embedded into the display or the body, it will undoubtedly fall into one of three implementation-based categories: optical, capacitive, or ultrasonic. Here is all one needs to know about fingerprint sensors, including optical, capacitive, ultrasonic, and in-display.
Optical Fingerprint Sensors
Optical fingerprint sensors are one of the most basic biometric security systems available. They illuminate the finger with an LED and then record the 2D image data with a sensor. After capturing the information, an optical fingerprint sensor can compare subsequent picture data to it to see if there is a match.
Capacitive Fingerprint Sensors
Capacitive fingerprint sensors are a step up in technology. They use electricity instead of light to map out the surface of your fingerprint. Furthermore, a capacitive fingerprint sensor uses an array of capacitor plates to capture the appearance of each individual fingerprint. A capacitive sensor, in essence, maps out the portions of the fingerprint that are more and less conductive using capacitors. It then utilizes that as a starting point for determining the identity of subsequent samples. Capacitive fingerprint sensors are currently the most widely used type of fingerprint sensor in smartphones.
Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensors
As the name implies, ultrasonic fingerprint sensors employ ultrasonic waves to map out a three-dimensional image of the fingerprint, similar to how ultrasonic waves are used in sectors like medicine. Ultrasound has several advantages over existing fingerprint scanning technologies in theory, including the capacity to detect things like blood flow and the potential to perform more reliably in less-than-ideal settings, such as when the hands are unclean or wet.
What is the Best Type of Fingerprint Sensor?
The best fingerprint sensor for most everyday users will be the one that is available to them. One should not pick a phone based on the presence of an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Regardless of which fingerprint sensor technology they use, the end result is not all that different.
However, if one is looking for the most adaptable and secure option, ultrasonic is likely to be the best option. It appears to be more trustworthy than the other possibilities on paper, and the fact that it captures a three-dimensional fingerprint rather than a two-dimensional one suggests it would be more difficult to forge.
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