Fingerprint reader woes

[Replicon]

So my apartment complex decided to switch off of the convenient keycards, and onto the annoying "type in your apartment number and have it read your fingerprint" method, which not only takes longer, but doesn't always work!

It appears that whenever it's wet outside (and this is Seattle so... heh...), or whenever I come back from exercising (and presumably, my fingers are ever so slightly swollen), it doesn't recognize me.

And all this got me thinking. How DOES the fingerprint reading sensor work? Does it go based on contact or heat, or does it try to bounce some kind of wave off and build its readout that way?

 

[Bassyhead]

I've always wondered this myself! Here's an article on Howstuffworks about them: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/fingerprint-scanner.htm

 

[tommo123]

wow! looks like going abroad will be real fun when fingerprint scanners are used in the future!

 

[Replicon]

Thanks, I ran into that link right after posting. I never think of howstuffworks.

I think the simple key fob was much more practical. Oh well, if it's raining, I've got the dialpad linked to my cell phone, so I can let myself in .

 

[Topplayer]

that same problem happends with my microsoft fingerprint password gennnn...i thought i just had bad fingers.....ROFL