Finger vein authentication

• Why can finger vein patterns be used for authentication?
• Finger vein authentication can be applied to children?
• Is there any effect on elderly people or the people have poor blood flow?
• Are there any fingers not recommended for enrollment/authentication?
• What part of the finger is used for authentication?
• How do cuts and abrasions on fingers affect the results of authentication?
• Is it possible to authenticate while wearing latex gloves or rings?
• Do any dirt and stains on the finger affect the results of authentication?
• How do hand cream and sunscreen applied to hands and fingers affect the results of authentication?
• Cracked or rough fingers can be used for authentication?
• How does body temperature affect the results of authentication?

Why can finger vein patterns be used for authentication?

Finger vein patterns are unique to each individual, even among identical twins. The vein structure in one’s each hand and each finger is also different. Finger vein authentication works by utilizing the differences of vein patterns for personal identification.

Finger vein authentication can be applied to children?

It is generally considered that the structure of human finger veins becomes stable and can be used for the biometric authentication when reaching the upper grades in elementary school. This device can be applied to the lower grades if the enrollment of vein patterns is executed successfully. However, it may get difficult to authenticate along with the physical growth of those children. In that case, by re-enrolling their finger vein patterns, they can continue to use the device.

Is there any effect on elderly people or the people have poor blood flow　?

If the person does not have a disease that affects blood vessels or blood flow, there is no particular effect.

Are there any fingers not recommended for enrollment/authentication?

The thumbs are not recommended for enrollment/authentication with this device because of their thick skin. The near-infrared light cannot pass through thick skin, and it is more likely to fail in capturing the vein pattern. Because of the structure of the device, the thumbs would be difficult to place on the device, which is unstable to capture images appropriate for enrollment/authentication.

What part of the finger is used for authentication?

Finger veins are formed intensively on the side of finger pads (the other side of nails), which are suitable for the device to take the images. Fewer veins are positioned on the backs and sides of the fingers, which are unsuitable for this authentication method.

How do cuts and abrasions on fingers affect the results of authentication?

Small cuts and abrasions on the fingers would not degrade the authentication performance, but might be difficult in some cases. If it is difficult, please use another finger to enroll/authenticate until those injuries are healed. In case of large cuts and grazes, the device is more likely to identify them as veins, resulting in that the possibility of authentication failure will be higher. Large cuts and abrasions tend to leave scars even after healing them. The finger with scars may cause some difficulty in executing authentication successfully. If so, please re-enroll vein patterns with another finger.

Is it possible to authenticate while wearing latex gloves or rings?

Enrollment/authentication with the finger wearing latex gloves may fail because those gloves often shut off the imaging light and stop the blood flow. In addition, it had better not to wear rings while performing enrollment/authentication. Depending on the design of the rings, they may be reflected in the scope of capturing the vein images. As a result, the authentication accuracy could worsen. With the same reason above, an adhesive plaster should not be applied to the finger during authentication.

Do any dirt and stains on the finger affect the results of authentication?

The authentication process is carried out by comparing the vein pattern that is previously captured during enrollment to the vein pattern that is taken during authentication, and checking if they match. It is necessary for successful authentication to place the finger the same way as you enrolled the vein pattern. Any dirt or stains on the hands and fingers should be washed off before authentication. If permanent ink stains are left on the finger, authentication may fail.

How do hand cream and sunscreen applied to hands and fingers affect the results of authentication?

Hand cream for moisturizing and preventing rough dry hands do not affect the results of authentication. However, sunscreen containing some chemical compounds that reflect light on the skin may cause difficulty processing authentication.

Cracked or rough fingers can be used for authentication?

Generally, cracked and rough skin, and rashes do not interfere with the authentication results. However, if it is difficult to authenticate, please use another finger. Suntan does not affect the authentication.

How does body temperature affect the results of authentication?

Authentication may fail when the finger or body is too cold. Due to the constriction of blood vessels, the vein image in the cold finger would be different from the vein patterns captured during enrollment. Warm the finger and body to normal human body temperature, and then perform authentication. After a hot bath or shower, the blood vessels expand so that the image may be significantly different from the vein patterns taken during enrollment. This may result in authentication failures. Please use the device after the body temperature becomes normal.