Sequence detection of overlapping latent fingerprints using a short-term aging feature

Abstract

This paper presents a novel approach for sequence detection of overlapping latent fingerprints for crime scene forensics. The approach involves a contactless and nondestructive acquisition of untreated fingerprints by using a Chromatic White Light (CWL) sensor. Based on 40 time series with 1160 samples, our approach shows how an aging feature called Binary Pixel for measuring the short-term decay of fingerprint samples can be used in combination with overlapping fingerprint separation methods for sequence detection. This allows differentiating which latent fingerprint was placed first and which later and thus provides contextual information for criminal investigations. Our experiments show promising results with a detection accuracy of at least 70%, regardless of the initial age of both the older and newer fingerprint.