Exploring the evolution of fingerprint technology

Scientists as early as the 1600s were taking a closer look at the finger itself as a method to identify someone. In 1686, a biologist named Marcello Malpighi identified the loops, ridges, and spirals consistently found in most fingertips. Then, from the mid 1800s to the late 1880s, there were several groups who began using fingerprints to identify individuals, mainly while conducting forensic exercises.

Although most agreed the friction ridge patterns were a practical method to use for identification, the main problem was that there was no formal method to classify the patterns found in fingerprints.

That was until classification systems were developed, as we'll discover in the next section.

Classifying fingers

During the late 1800s, anyone who was involved in using fingerprints for identification saw the value in this promising method. The use of fingerprints was being accepted as evidence in several cases, as this...