The sensor is a silicon integrated circuit whose surface is covered by a large number of transducer elements (or pixels), with a typical resolution of 500 dpi. Each element contains two adjacent metal electrodes. The capacitance between the electrodes, which forms a feedback path for an inverting amplifier, is reduced when the finger is applied to such a surface: it is reduced more when it detects ridges and less when it detects the space between them.

The sensor is susceptible to electrostatic discharge. These sensors only work with normal healthy skin, since they are not operational when used on skin with hard areas, calluses or scars. Moisture, grease or dust can also affect its operation.

These are tens of thousands of tiny pressure transducers that are mounted on the surface of the sensor. An alternative design uses switches that are closed when pressed by a crest, but remain open when under a trough. This only provides one bit of information per pixel, rather than working with a gray scale.

In this case, the heat conducted by the finger is detected, which is greater when there is a crest than when there is a valley. A silicon component has been developed with an array of pixels called "FingerChip", that is, "finger integrated circuit", each of which is covered with a layer of pyroelectric material in which a change in temperature results in a change in the charge distribution of its surface. The image is in gray scale which has adequate quality even with a worn finger, dirt, grease or moisture. The sensor has a robust protective layer and can provide dynamic output.

Most of the sensors described have been altered in the past. To avoid this, a new operating mode has been added. Instead of simply placing your finger statically on the sensor, your finger slowly moves along it. The sensor only has a narrow sensitive area, and generates a complete sequence of images, which can be reassembled, by a processor, into a complete image. Performance is significantly improved and the elimination of any residual fat is guaranteed.

There are two ways of construction: The stationary fingerprint scanner and the moving scanner.

The finger should be dragged over the small scan area. This is cheaper and less reliable than mobile scanner. The image is not very good when the finger is not regularly dragged over the scanning area.

The finger lies in the scanning area, while the scanner runs underneath. Because the scanner runs regularly over the fingerprint, the images are better.

Independent readers

Microsoft launched a fingerprint reader built into a wireless IntelliMouse in 2005.[1]​.

Integrated readers

Since the early 2000s, some laptops with PC Card support can be equipped with readers; for example, the Compaq Armada") E500 can be optionally equipped with an external fingerprint reader since 2000; Toshiba released the reader module.[2] IBM produced laptops with integrated readers since 2004.[3]​.

Apple's brand name for electronic fingerprint recognition, known as Touch ID, was introduced in 2013 only for smartphones, and the laptop option was launched only in 2016. The rollout was delayed. until 2013 only because the integrated scanner with Optical Touch Panel was patented by RIM (Blackberry) in 2004.[4]​ Blackberry produced smartphones with readers since 2010: the first model with this feature was the BlackBerry Curve 8520"), a budget model.[5]​.

This technique works without direct contact between the finger and the sensor surface. Light passes through the finger from the side of the nail, and to the other side, while a camera takes a direct image of the fingerprint.

Humidity does not cause any difficulty. The sensor sees through the surface of the skin onto a deeper surface and produces a multispectral image.

Using different wavelengths to generate images gives us information about different subcutaneous structures, indicating that the object in question is a genuine finger. The use of orthogonal polarized filters ensures that only light that is relevant to its passage under the skin passes, and blocks light that would be reflected directly from the surface. Only very precise artificial fingers could possibly fool this sensor.

The sensor is a silicon integrated circuit whose surface is covered by a large number of transducer elements (or pixels), with a typical resolution of 500 dpi. Each element contains two adjacent metal electrodes. The capacitance between the electrodes, which forms a feedback path for an inverting amplifier, is reduced when the finger is applied to such a surface: it is reduced more when it detects ridges and less when it detects the space between them.

The sensor is susceptible to electrostatic discharge. These sensors only work with normal healthy skin, since they are not operational when used on skin with hard areas, calluses or scars. Moisture, grease or dust can also affect its operation.

These are tens of thousands of tiny pressure transducers that are mounted on the surface of the sensor. An alternative design uses switches that are closed when pressed by a crest, but remain open when under a trough. This only provides one bit of information per pixel, rather than working with a gray scale.

In this case, the heat conducted by the finger is detected, which is greater when there is a crest than when there is a valley. A silicon component has been developed with an array of pixels called "FingerChip", that is, "finger integrated circuit", each of which is covered with a layer of pyroelectric material in which a change in temperature results in a change in the charge distribution of its surface. The image is in gray scale which has adequate quality even with a worn finger, dirt, grease or moisture. The sensor has a robust protective layer and can provide dynamic output.

Most of the sensors described have been altered in the past. To avoid this, a new operating mode has been added. Instead of simply placing your finger statically on the sensor, your finger slowly moves along it. The sensor only has a narrow sensitive area, and generates a complete sequence of images, which can be reassembled, by a processor, into a complete image. Performance is significantly improved and the elimination of any residual fat is guaranteed.

There are two ways of construction: The stationary fingerprint scanner and the moving scanner.

The finger should be dragged over the small scan area. This is cheaper and less reliable than mobile scanner. The image is not very good when the finger is not regularly dragged over the scanning area.

The finger lies in the scanning area, while the scanner runs underneath. Because the scanner runs regularly over the fingerprint, the images are better.

Independent readers

Microsoft launched a fingerprint reader built into a wireless IntelliMouse in 2005.[1]​.

Integrated readers

Since the early 2000s, some laptops with PC Card support can be equipped with readers; for example, the Compaq Armada") E500 can be optionally equipped with an external fingerprint reader since 2000; Toshiba released the reader module.[2] IBM produced laptops with integrated readers since 2004.[3]​.

Apple's brand name for electronic fingerprint recognition, known as Touch ID, was introduced in 2013 only for smartphones, and the laptop option was launched only in 2016. The rollout was delayed. until 2013 only because the integrated scanner with Optical Touch Panel was patented by RIM (Blackberry) in 2004.[4]​ Blackberry produced smartphones with readers since 2010: the first model with this feature was the BlackBerry Curve 8520"), a budget model.[5]​.