AI to Revolutionise Fingerprint Matching: A Major Leap in Forensic Science

AI has proven that fingerprints are not unique. Will this revelation bring a big revolution in forensic science? Read the full story.

AI Fingerprint Study: We have all grown up hearing that every human being in the world has a unique fingerprint. Even the prints of all the fingers on our own hands are completely different from each other. We have also seen in films and TV serials how police track down criminals by matching fingerprints. But what if we told you that this belief, held for years, was just a misconception? Yes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has now proven this 100-year-old truth to be false.

Scientists at Columbia University have recently conducted a research that has caused a stir in the forensic world. Let's understand what the matter is in simple terms.

What AI Saw, Which Was Hidden from the Human Eye

Until now, fingerprint analysis was done by matching very fine lines and dots (called minutiae). Human vision and older computers focused on this. That is why it was believed that the print of your thumb does not match that of your index finger.

However, when scientists showed a special type of AI over 60,000 fingerprints, it detected something else entirely. Instead of fine lines, the AI focused on the patterns and curvature formed between the fingers. It revealed that there is a deep connection between the different fingers of the same person.

Astonishing Accuracy of 99.99%

The research results were astounding. When the AI system was shown pairs of different fingers, it correctly identified whether they belonged to the same person 77% of the time. And when it was given samples of multiple fingers at once, its accuracy reached 99.99%. This means there is virtually no room for error.

It Will Be Difficult for Criminals to Escape Now

Now the question is, what impact will this research have on everyday life or police investigations? The answer is very interesting.

Suppose a criminal commits a theft in one place and accidentally leaves the print of their index finger there. The same criminal commits a murder in another city, and their thumbprint is found there. According to the old system, the police would never know that both these acts were committed by the same person, because the index finger and thumbprints were considered different.

However, this new technology will immediately reveal that both prints belong to the same individual. The report indicates that this will reduce the list of suspects for the police by up to 90%. This means that tasks which used to take years to solve could now be accomplished in moments.

Preparing for the Future

Scientists have also ensured that this system works equally well for all types of people, regardless of their gender or race. However, before it can be used in police stations worldwide, it will be tested on larger databases. But one thing is certain: the long arm of the law is about to become even longer and more high-tech than before.