History of Fingerprint Technology
The beginning of fingerprints goes back to as early as the ancient times. According to historical findings, fingerprints were used on clay tablets for business transactions in ancient Babylon. In China, thumb prints were found on clay seals. But it was in the 19th century that the results of scientific studies were published and fingerprint technology began to be considered more seriously.Using the1800’s scientific studies as a foundation, fingerprint technology was already in use by the beginning of the 20th century. In 1924, FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation) is already known to have maintained more than 250 million civil files of fingerprints for the purpose of criminal investigation and the identification of unknown casualties. In the late 1960's, fingerprint technology met a great turning point when it gave birth to 'live-scan,' a method to obtain a fingertip image without the use of print ink. When the FBI announced that it planned to stop using paper fingerprint cards inside their new Integrated AFIS (IAFIS) site, it was actually announcing the remarkable breakthrough of today's live-scan technology.But fingerprint identification technology did not stop as a forensic method only. It was officially used for business purposes in 1968 at one security corporation in Wall Street. Fingerprints are now being used as a secure and effective authentication method in numerous fields, including financial, medical, e-commerce and entrance control applications. Modern applications of fingerprint technology rely in large part on the development of exceptionally compact fingerprint sensors.
I didn't know that fingerprinting dated back that far! Truly fascinating!
ReplyDeleteJoe
I also didnt know fingerprinting went back that far! It is very interresting that instead of using ink now they use a digital scan for finerprinting. Thats good because ink can be veryy messy and is hard to get off your fingers.. The place I go tanning at takes a digital scan of your fingerprint so nobody else can pose as you. I think thats pretty cool.
ReplyDeletePretty neat article. I enjoy it when little things that we don't even think about today are brought up on these blogs. I watch the CSI shows and have never even thought about how far technology has evolved and how important it has become to help solve crimes.
ReplyDeleteSaid a few times already i also didnt know finger printing was around so long. Im definately glad that fingerprinting is done digitslly now a days I just recently had to get my fingerprints taken for a job i would have hated if i had to use ink. Stacy said in her coment that her tanning salon takes her fingerprint. Thats crazy it makes me think of the movies where people use their fingerprint to open doors and scan there eyes and voice recognition and stuff like that.
ReplyDeleteReally informative, seems I'm not the only one who had no idea about the origins of fingerprinting. Ancient times for purchases, I never would of imagined that. I was also amazed that the FBI had over 250,000,000 fingerprints on file in just the 1920s. As far as the livescan goes,that surely changed the way criminals thought about their hands.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea the fingerprinting dated back so far. I also thought the live-scan was more of a recent discovery rather than in the 1960's. The use of fingerprints is being used in different ways. Dell has a finger scan on their laptops instead of using a password. Right now some doctors offices are taking pictures of patients, I wouldn't be surprised if they move on to fingerprint scans. Interesting article.
ReplyDeletewow, that goes back far. i know kings in europe used their rings for wax seals but thats kinda cool for using your thumb for a wax seal as well.
ReplyDeleteI have a question about history and finger prints…did the ancients realize that each person’s finger prints were unique to them? Obviously the whole point of us using fingerprints now is that they were a person’s (intentional or unintentional) marker that is used to identify someone. But did they realize that then? Or were fingerprints more a decorative thing?
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested on early forensic work, there are two fictional books that I know of: “The Alienist” and “The Angel of Darkness” both by Caleb Carr.
Finger printing is one of those iconic things we hear about and to which don't give much thought. Didn't know it started so early in history. I often wandered how you could match a print from a crime scene with a print in a catalog of millions. Moder computers can easily do it with pattern recognition capabilities but what about 50 years ago?
ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing to consider how long fingerprinting has been around. I even have a fingerprint sensor on my laptop to identify me, so it really is a useful thing to have to identify each other with.
ReplyDeleteFinger printing has been around for a long time and the process isnt going away anytime soon. In fact it is becoming more and more prevalent in our everyday lives. From computer security to a new form of car keys. I will not be surprised if we need to fingerprint every check we sign in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI also didn’t know finger printing dated back that far. I went with my friend to get her finger printing done because she’s student teaching. She thought she was going to have to put her finger into the ink and stamp it on paper. When she went in the person doing it laughed because now it is all electronic now. Many works places have people clock in by their finger prints. It’s amazing how far finger printing has come.
ReplyDeleteFingerpringts themselves are fascinating. Its Interesting that they have been utilized for such a long time
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the biggest improvement in Criminal Justice besides DNA. Its amazing how each person has differnet fingerprints even though some people have twins. And its fascinating how they get these fingerprints off of different surfaces. Cool pictures too!
ReplyDeleteThats crazy that fingerprinting is dated back that far. Fingerprints serve a great purpose in our society when catching criminals. It's even used on some laptops as a security device. Fingerprints are the best type of evidence and it's impossible to deny.
ReplyDeleteI never knew finger printing when back that far. Finger prints are still something I find amazing. Its crazy how each of us have our own pattern and police can keep records of them and run in-depth searches to find people by their print.
ReplyDeleteFingerprint technology is even embedded into many new personal computers as a way to enter a password! They are rather poor, in all honesty, but over time I am sure they will become more accurate and possibly be a useful tool especially in the age of information security and identity theft.
ReplyDeleteFingerprinting is a very important tool in the world today. I didnt know that fingerprinting went back so far. Today all you need to do is scan a persons hand and it goes right into a computer. AFIS is such an incredible tool that holds millions of fingerprints. It still amazes me that no two fingerprints are the same.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea the fingerprinting process was that old. It's been romanticized in cop and forsensic investigation shows that it seems like something just to move a plot along instead of an ancient tradition to symbolize a contract. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDelete