The FBI is Testing iPhone Fingerprint Scanners for U.S. Law Enforcement

In 2012, the FBI will undertake trials to test iPhone and iPod touch based fingerprint scanners for U.S. law enforcement use, reports CultofMac.

One such device is the FbF mobileOne which connects with the iPod touch using a secure yet removable cradle or sleeve allowing the iPod to be docked or undocked rapidly and easily.

The mobileOne comes equipped with a FIPS 201/PIV compliant fingerprint sensor from AuthenTec. The built in fingerprint sensor provides a full 256 bit grayscale, 508 dpi image suitable for the most demanding 1:N identification challenges. Fingerprint capture, quality check and image transfer to the iPod takes approximately 700 milliseconds from the time a finger is placed on the sensor surface. A full set of ten PIV compliant fingerprint images can be collected within approximately 25 seconds for an experienced user. By using the built in multi-megapixel camera on the iPod Touch, in combination with the mobileOne's fingerprint sensor, it is possible to capture all ten fingerprints plus a full set of 5 facial images (90, 45, 0, 45, 90) in less than 1 minute.


Fulcrum is already selling the mobileOne. You can purchase it here for $599. When asked why the device isn't available to local law enforcement officials, Ken Nosker, president of Fulcrum Technologies, said the holdup is getting the device approved by state IT departments.

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