{

The 2010 NIST Fingerprin

Fingerprin

Compression Compression Study

Shahram Orandi

September September 23, 2010
At NIST we specialize specialize in measurem

measurem

and standards standards to promote promote interoper

interoper

compatibility compatibility and/or repeatability repeatability o

Our most recent effort involved involved me

me

the impact of compression compression on 1000p

1000p

images. images.

NIST Fingerp Fingerprint 

Why co
A crash course in fingerprint fingerprint image co

co

Why compress compress fingerprints? fingerprints?

This single rolled print is about a 600 

without without compression. compression. The set of 10 w

almost 6 megs of space.

May not sound like much now, but 20 

was a big deal. Its actually actually still a big 

the ever‐increasing increasing volume of biomet

biomet

around. around.

NIST Fingerprint 

Anatomy of a 
NIST Fingerprint 

Anatomy Anatomy of a hypothetical hypothetical fingerprint fingerprint identifica

identifica

Fingerprint

Capture

Quality Check /

Segmentation

Compression

Packaging /

Encapsulation Transmission Unp

Decom

Ba

pro

matc

Conservative

estimate:

3 million

images

go through this

each day

A crash co
A crash course in fingerprint fingerprint image co

co

So what can you do to reduce the size 

fingerprint fingerprint images? images? You compress compress t

Basic commodity/simple commodity/simple [lossless] lossless] com

com

approach: approach: This will yield about 2:1 or 

ratio.

More advanced advanced approach: approach: Can comp

comp

more (i.e., 15:1), if you’re willing willing to sa

sa

detail. detail. This is the predominant predominant appro

appr

compressing compressing fingerprints fingerprints right now.

NIST Fingerprint 

How do you co
A crash course in fingerprint fingerprint image co

co

Now, how do you compress compress a fingerp

fingerp

You need an implementation implementation of a com

com

algorithm algorithm (aka CODEC, aka the tool t

compression compression for you), but must be sta

sta

all parties. parties.

You need a recipe on how to drive the algorithm. algorithm. In the case of more advan

advan

one of the things you provide provide using y

much detail loss you’re willing willing to live 

be agreed to by all parties. parties.

NIST Fingerprint 

Why do 
A crash course in fingerprint fingerprint image co

co

What happens happens if you don’t use a stan

stan

algorithm algorithm and recipe? recipe? Are we talkin

talkin

gloom here?!If you don’t, the following following will very li

negatively negatively impacted: impacted:‐System throughput throughput‐System performance performance‐Your ability ability to exchange exchange data with p

‐Ultimately, Ultimately, the ability ability to make use of 

identifications/verification identifications/verification purposes purposes

NIST Fingerprint 

Where can you find the algorit
A crash course in fingerprint fingerprint image co

co

So how do you get in on all this?

For the algorithm: The FBI has issued 

algorithm algorithm standard, standard, and certification certification 

standard standard is free and open, and has be

well over a decade. decade.For the recipe: The receiving receiving entity us

us

guidance guidance for this (varies, (varies, for FBI see E

The IAI did a study in 1994 to determ

determ

utilize utilize WSQ and this has become the b

the published published guidance. guidance.

NIST Fingerprint 

We’ve cov
Everything we’ve talked about so far has been 

500ppi means that if a fingerprint fingerprint is 1 inch by 1 

the fingerprint fingerprint is 500 pixels by 500 pixels in geo

ge

NIST Fingerprint 

What’s the next bi
State‐of‐industry industry (aka, what is in wide

wide

Capture, Capture, compress compress, transmit, transmit, process process 

Why 500ppi? 500ppi?

500ppi was attainable attainable for the masses t

(financially nancially as well as technologically

technologically

proved it to be effective effective for biometric biometric

identification/verification. entification/verification.

State‐of‐Art (defined here as “what’s n

Capture, Capture, compress compress, transmit, transmit, process process 

Why go to 1000ppi? 1000ppi?

•Higher fidelity to the original original sample•Possible Possible improvement improvement in identificatio

identificatio

•Possible Possible new/novel new/novel identification identification me

me

can’t be done at 500ppi (see next slide

NIST Fingerprint 

A real live 1000 ppi to 
NIST Fingerprint 

500ppi 1000

Actual Specimen Images: 500ppi vs. 1000

What’s been establishe
Here is what’s happened happened so far in 1000ppi: 1000ppi:

‐The community community has agreed to use JPEG‐2000 and this i

FBI. (JPEG‐2000 is the “CODEC “as mentioned mentioned in 

‐MITRE has issued a recipe (MTR‐04B0000022) 04B0000022) for 15:1 c

c

fingerprint fingerprint imagery. imagery.

Based on experiences experiences with WSQ, we identified identified some ga

further further study so working working with both the FBI and MI

conducted conducted an experiment experiment to see if we can help addr

addr

NIST Fingerprint 

What were some o
Some gaps identified identified in the current current 1000ppi 1000ppi com

com

approach/guidance: approach/guidance:

Most of the existing existing guidance guidance has been based 

rolled prints (not slaps, flats, livescan) livescan)

Most of the existing existing guidance guidance and research research ha

on a few compression compression ratios (‘recipes recipes’), namely 

and 20:1.

Self‐certification: certification: Lessons Lessons learned learned from WSQ 

more formalized formalized certification certification process process

Lessons Lessons learned learned from WSQ support support formal tra

tra

JPEG‐2000 CODECs

NIST Fingerprint 

Ou
NIST Fingerprint 

*: Focus of this presentation, modeled after IAI 

The 2010 Compression Compression Study has 3 Compon

Compon

How our test built on th
The NIST 2010 compression compression study is mo

m

IAI study and builds on MITRE’s work 

04B0000022). 04B0000022). In a nutshell: tshell:

Largest Largest scale test of its kind on compre

compr

we know/so know/so far), 56000 image pairs x 3 

Tested wider range of compression compression rat

wider in scope than the original original IAI stu

at 5:1, 10:1, 15:1 & 20:1). We did 2, 5, 7, 

20, 22, 26, 30, 34, 38.

Test wider range of impression impression types: 

slaps, as well as cross comparisons comparisons of ea

including including ident/non ident/non‐ident cases

Tested live‐scan in addition addition to ink‐car

(everyone (everyone asked for it)

NIST Fingerprint 

Quic
NIST Fingerprint 

Preliminary Preliminary Look at Results*: Results*:

 15:1 is a viable recipe for rolled‐print compressi

compressi

card‐scan rolled‐prints seem to verify this.

12:1 appears appears to be a good target for some cases. 

analysis analysis to evaluate evaluate benefit/disadvantages benefit/disadvantages of go

Compression Compression loss can at times help (low‐pass filte

filte

*: Pending Pending further further analysis, analysis, and incorporation incorporation of r

r

scan data.

A peek at what th
NIST Fingerprint 

The raw resu
NIST Fingerprint 

The raw results, tam
NIST Fingerprint 
NIST Fingerprint 

In Conclusion: Conclusion:

 Early results results show 15:1 holds its own for 1000pp

1000pp

 12:1 may be a good candidate candidate for some cases (pe

(p

Next steps:

 Need to process process matcher matcher data, weigh relevance relevance Will publish publish study results results by year end (will incl

incl

results results and lossless lossless test results results as well)

 Will work with all stakeholders stakeholders if new compres

compres

emerges. emerges.

 Will recommend recommend to the FBI a certification certification pathw

pathw

 Will recommend recommend to the FBI a traceability traceability strateg

strateg

 Watch http://fingerprint.nist.gov http://fingerprint.nist.gov for news.
Compression Study Team

Shahram Orandi Principal Principal Investigator InvestigatorJohn M. Libert Principal Principal Researcher Researcher ‐ Examiner Testing, Testing, Data Analysis, Analysis, John D. Grantham Lead Research Research Engineer Engineer ‐ Examiner Testing, Testing, Data Analys

Analy

FrameworkStephen S. Wood Principal Principal Researcher Researcher ‐ Matcher Matcher Testing, Testing, Data Analysis, Analysis, AKenneth Ko Research Engineer Engineer ‐ Matcher Matcher testing, testing, CODEC Analysis AnalysisStephen G. Harvey Research Research Engineer, Engineer, Lossless Lossless CODEC Analysis AnalysisBruce Bandini Bandini Research Research Engineer, Engineer, CODEC Analysis, Analysis, Testing Testing and Data V

V

Special Special Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements:

FBI‐CJISSteve Meagher MeagherRon Smith and Associates Associates

MITRELA County

The examiners examiners from various various state & local agencies agencies who walked this road with usLast and surely not least, Michael Michael D. Garris for all his support support and guidance guidance throug

throug

NIST Fingerprint 
Q & A?

Questions: Questions: Free to ask...Answers: Answers: $0.05/each $0.05/each

Right answers: answers: $0.25/each $0.25/each

:‐)

Contact: Contact:Shahram Shahram Orandisorandi@nist.gov sorandi@nist.gov