<p>This report describes a system for verification of fingerprints against a previous created template. It describes how and why a fingerprint image must be processed before it can be used to either identify or verify a person. The method is based on special features of a fingerprint, called minutiae points. The whole process from image to matching is described, every step in the process with image enhancement, binarization, thinning and how to find the minutiae points. Also what false minutiae points are, how they arise, why they deteriorate the result, and how to handle them, is discussed. </p><p>Finally a test of the system with a large number of fingerprints is presented, to see how good the system is according to security and reliability about not accepting prints from other fingers or reject the fingerprints, which are from the same finger as the template. Many proposals about how the performance and the security of the system can be improved are also presented.</p>

This report describes a system for verification of fingerprints against a previous created template. It describes how and why a fingerprint image must be processed before it can be used to either identify or verify a person. The method is based on special features of a fingerprint, called minutiae points. The whole process from image to matching is described, every step in the process with image enhancement, binarization, thinning and how to find the minutiae points. Also what false minutiae points are, how they arise, why they deteriorate the result, and how to handle them, is discussed. Finally a test of the system with a large number of fingerprints is presented, to see how good the system is according to security and reliability about not accepting prints from other fingers or reject the fingerprints, which are from the same finger as the template. Many proposals about how the performance and the security of the system can be improved are also presented.