FBI upgrades fingerprint system

Published 15 March 2011

The FBI recently upgraded its fingerprint scanning system to include faster and more sophisticated technology; the old system could take as much as two hours to match fingerprints, while the new technology can provide results in ten to fifteen minutes; the new system is also more accurate and comes as part of the FBI’s broader technology initiative, which it calls Next Generation Identification (NGI); the next phase of NGI is set to be completed by 2014 and will incorporate latent palm prints and facial recognition technology

The FBI recently upgraded its fingerprint scanning system to include faster and more sophisticated technology. The agency switched from its Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to Advanced Fingerprint Information Technology (AFIT), which is an integrated system that can also incorporate other biometric data like latent palm prints and facial features.

The new system comes as part of the FBI’s broader technology initiative, which it calls Next Generation Identification (NGI).

According to John Traxler, the program manager for NGI, the new system greatly reduces analysis time. AFIS system took as long as two hours to match a fingerprint in a criminal case and twenty-four hours in civil cases.

But, “With the new system, we increase speed and accuracy of information,” says Traxler. “Our goal for criminal prints is now 10 minutes, and civil, 15 minutes.”

In addition to speed, AFIT provides greater accuracy. AFIS had a 92 percent accuracy rate, while AFIT has at least a rate of 99 percent precision.

AFIT’s improvement in accuracy and reduction in wait times is a result of a new identification algorithm developed by MorphoTrak.

The new system has already been implemented and an additional 900 fingerprint workstations were distributed to bureaus.

The NGI program is being implemented in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, the primary contractor, and began three years ago.

With the installation of AFIT complete, the FBI has begun to focus on integrating other biometric technologies.

We’re adding new biometric modalities, latent palm prints and facial recognition and iris [recognition],” says Truxler.

The next phase of NGI is set to be completed by 2014.