2017 ICT4D Conference

Biometrics like fingerprints have been used widely to solve identification and verification challenges in national ID programs, voting, and the provision of key services. But just how accurate are fingerprint technologies designed in the West when they are used in developing countries? The most advanced fingerprinting systems on the market are not designed for frontline workers. High humidity as well as dry, dusty environments drastically affect the performance of current systems. Striking a good balance between cost and performance of current systems is not straight-forward. Our team has collected over 130,000 fingerprints across two continents, comparing the performance of six different fingerprinting systems. The results show that high levels of manual labor, scarring, and thermal burns common in low-income populations in Africa significantly reduce the accuracy of some fingerprint technologies more than others. We share the results of this research along with recommendations on how to optimize hardware, software, and training elements for successful biometric deployments.