Selecting the Right Fingerprint Scanner

EFTCreator supports numerous fingerprint scanners and each one has its pros and cons. We will go through each of the scanners that are supported, discuss the features, what we like and what we don't like. We will also provide some recommendations for various use cases.

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IB Kojak

The Kojak is a portable fingerprint scanner produced by Integrated Biometrics. It is designed to be compact, lightweight, and durable, making it suitable for use in a variety of environments and applications. The Kojak uses a fingerprint scanning technology known as "light emitting sensor," or LES, which captures a high-resolution image of a fingerprint using a special light-emitting film. The device is able to capture high-quality fingerprint images in a wide range of lighting conditions, including bright sunlight, making it suitable for use in outdoor and mobile environments. The device is used by a variety of government agencies and organizations for a range of purposes, including border control, law enforcement, and commercial security.

There are several pros and cons to using the Integrated Biometrics Kojak fingerprint scanner.

Pros:

1. Compact and portable: The Kojak is designed to be small and lightweight, making it easy to carry and use in a variety of settings.

2. Durable: The device is built to withstand harsh environments and rough handling, making it suitable for use in challenging conditions.

3. High-quality fingerprint images: The Kojak uses a specialized light-emitting sensor to capture high-resolution fingerprint images, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

4. Wide range of applications: The device is suitable for use in a variety of applications, including border control, law enforcement, and commercial security.

5. Technology: Thin-film LES technology alleviates the issue on capturing ghost prints from latent fingerprints left on the surface that you get with other optical fingerprint scanners.

6. Cost: The Kojak has the best price point for a FAP 60 fingerprint scanners on the market.

Cons:

1. Limited compatibility: Only compatible with Windows and Linux operating system. Currently the Kojak SDK does not support Mac OS.

2. Requires specialized training: Users of the Kojak may need to undergo specialized training in order to use the device effectively.

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IB Five-0

The Five-0 is a portable fingerprint scanner produced by Integrated Biometrics. It is designed to be most compact and lightest ten-print fingerprint scanner, making it suitable for use in a mobile applications. The Five-0 uses the same LES scanning technology as the IB Kojak. The device is able to capture high-quality fingerprint images in a wide range of lighting conditions, including bright sunlight, making it suitable for use in outdoor and mobile environments. The Five-0 is a FAP 50 scanner that is slightly smaller than the FAP 60 Kojak. The Five-0 is used by a variety of government agencies and organizations for a range of purposes, including border control, law enforcement, and commercial security.

There are several pros and cons to using the Integrated Biometrics Five-0 fingerprint scanner.

Pros:

1. Compact and portable: The Five-0 is the smallest and lightest ten-print scanner on the market, making it easy to carry and use in a variety of settings.

2. Durable: The device is built to withstand harsh environments and rough handling, making it suitable for use in challenging conditions.

3. High-quality fingerprint images: The Five-0 uses a specialized light-emitting sensor to capture high-resolution fingerprint images, ensuring accurate and reliable results.

4. Technology: Thin-film LES technology alleviates the issue on capturing ghost prints from latent fingerprints left on the surface that you get with other optical fingerprint scanners.

5. Wide range of applications: The device is suitable for use in a variety of applications, including border control, law enforcement, and commercial security.

Cons:

1. Cost: The Five-0 is more expensive than Kojak.

2. Limited compatibility: Only compatible with Windows and Linux operating system. Currently the Five-0 SDK does not support Mac OS.

3. Requires specialized training: Users of the Five-0 may need to undergo specialized training in order to use the device effectively.

4. No LEDs showing which finger(s) to scan, or any user feedback sounds

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Thales DactyScan 84c

The Thales DactyScan84c is a fingerprint scanner produced by Thales that supports ten print fingerprint scanning as well as rolled prints that are needed for our software. It features a largen platen with and optical style of scanning.

Pros:

1. Cost: this is a more affordable option than some other scanners.
2. Speed: this scanner can capture high quality print quickly, rated at 27fps.
3. IP64 dust and water resistant.
4. 12 tri-color LED guidance.

Cons:

1. Less portable than some other options in the list.
2. Prone to dust and water making the images less clear due to optical scanner.
3. Weight: the scanner weighs a little less than 4 pounds.

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Crossmatch / HID Guardian

The Crossmatch, now HID, guardian brand of scanners is another optical scanner supported by EFT Creator. The Guardian 200 and 300 support full ten print as well as the rolled prints needed for our software. This scanner features a large platen similar to the Thales with a different design and interface.

Pros:

1. Condition: This scanner, although optical, can handle both wet and dry prints without recalibration.
2. Flexible interface: The scanner will center and detect fingerprints regardless of position on the platen.
3. Heated platen: the platen is heated to avoid fogging or condensation.

Cons:

1. IP54 rated: Not so much a con but is less resistant than the other scanners on the list.
2. Many older guardian models use Fire Wire as a connection, We do not support Fire Wire in our software.
3. Less portable than the other options on the list being heavier and bulkier.
4. Cost: quite a bit more expensive for a new scanner than other options.
5. Doesn't always support rolled fingerprints and sometimes need permissions from Crossmatch/HID.

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Suprema RealScan G-10

The Suprema RealScan G-10 is an optical scanner that supports ten print and rolled scans that are needed for our software. This is the largest scanner we support, housing a 3.5 inch platen. This scanner offers the least portability of our previous options but has some unique software.

Pros:

1. Largest Platen: 3.5 inches.
2. ARIC rolled Image Technology: Faster and higher quality rolled images than competitors.
3. Fast initialization.
4. Broad operating system support.

Cons:

1. IP54 resistance just like the Guardian Models.
2. Less portable being the largest and heaviest in the list.
3. No heated platen, prone to fogging.
4. Older hardware.
5. Cost: slightly more expensive than other options on the list.

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Our Recommendations

Overall Top Pick

Kojak: Best bang for the buck is the Integrated Biometrics' Kojak scanner. These are very rugged scanners and produce excellent quality fingerprints.

Best Portable Scanner

Five-0: This little device is about the size of iPhone and can easily be carried in a pocket. This is perfect for those that are looking for something small and mobile.

Note: Both the IB Five-0 and the IB Kojak can be purchased new from EFT Creator under the products tab on the left hand side.