Remote Control Authentication

Fingerprint Slide Scanner SparkFun Electronics

What's better than RFID tags? Your own fingerprints, of course. No batteries needed, no electronic eavesdropping devices, and no storage problems. They're always convenient and, well, they're always at your fingertips. The only problem with using fingerprint biometric controls is finding a suitable fingerprint reader. And, no, we're not talking about that archaic monstrosity used at the local cop shop, either. We're talking about an small, inexpensive fingerprint reader that just needs a swipe of your precious digit for unleashing a torrent of programming power.

The Fingerprint Slide Scanner is an $80 device that both gathers and stores your (or anyone else's) fingerprints. Once it's memorized your prints, the Fingerprint Slide Scanner can be placed into query mode: your stored fingerprint is matched against a valid swipe and a unique ID number is spit out of the scanner through a TTL output. But that's only half of the excitement.

Fingerprint Slide Scanner Bluetooth Modem:  SparkFun Electronics

When this TTL output is coupled with a suitable Bluetooth modem, the resultant fingerprint ID number can be sent wirelessly to an awaiting PC. Mix in a pinch of batch programming to this recipe and you have a PC feast that can be lorded over by your, and only your, fingerprints. Make this scanner-plus-modem combination portable and carry it with you around the house. Lock the keyboard and throw away the mouse: you are the master of all that you can touch, at least with your ten fingerprints. Maybe throw in some toes, too.