Thread: Fingerprint Identification - AGAIN

Originally Posted by Maheriano

I saw the episode of American Chopper last night where they built the Intel bike and had it wired for ignition through thumb print recognition, and I was hoping they'd explain how the Switchback box worked by they never did. And from what I could tell, they had the computer turn on separately from the ignition, and once it was on they could provide their thumb print to send a signal to the starter to start the bike. So I got to thinking of a couple scenarios where I could implement this similarly on my car.

1. Get in and use my thumb print to start the car. The problem with this is the computer isn't on so it won't recognize the print and won't work. This is why most threads on this topic have failed.

2. Start the computer by pushing a button and then provide your thumb print once it's ready to start the car. It'd be much easier and more efficient to simply use a push button to start the car, but then you're not using your thumb print.

3. Have some sort of keyfob or something which sends a signal to the computer when you're near the car to turn the computer on and engage the fingerprint reader without the screen coming on. This way you get the feeling that nothing is on since the screen is still disabled. But the computer is on and ready for your print once you get in the car and it starts as soon as you provide it. The problem with this is the computer would still have to be on in order to accept the signal from the keyfob to engage the reader.

I made a thread about this a while back when I had less information but I have been thinking about it since last night and can't really come up with any solutions. Does anyone else have information to add? The problem is you can't use it without it being powered so it would therefore have to be powered constantly and then you run the risk of draining your battery depending on how much current it draws.

I wouldnt recommend any of those because the computer would be on when the car isnt for potentially too long.

I think the only solution would be a hardware independant of the PC which would then be able to startup the car, and then the computer.

I too started to think about this again when I got my new laptop. It has a fingerprint reader in it. It is a UPEK hardware brand that Toshiba has put in their computers. The UPEK hardware has a built in flash storage. I know this because there is no way to get rid of a stored fingerprint through software without the original fingerprint! Very secure but annoying as hell.

If you reformat the computer, the old fingerprint ID is still in there. So it has to have internal independant storage. Now this sensor can function without the OS loaded although it wont do anything but flash the screen.

So my guess about it is that the reader and processor are all on this little independant sensor. And at worst, it can be read through a PIC simulating the actual processor.

UPEK has been less than forthcoming about how it works since that basically destroys their security, but I think this is the direction people interested in this have to go. I havent gotten any further as I have been too busy with school, but there may be someone that can help.

I figure you could do it with the Fusion Brain. Starting the computer with remote dor unlock is a good idea though.

unlock car and computer starts
computer is ready for fingerprint acceptance
get in and place thumb on top of shifter where fingerprint receiver is located
car starts

You'd still have to put the key in and turn the ignition to unlock the steering wheel though. You'll be able to drive away but you won't be able to turn.

the best way to do this is independant of the pc for obvious reasons... look into fingerprint door locks or fingerprint safes... a few hundred & some butchering & you can do this... to have to wait or depend on the pc will become annoying real quick...

If I were to do this I would remove any manual ways of doing it like the key. The purpose of it, besides being cool, is to deter theives who would utilize an ignition. I would, however, have some sort of remote system like using my cell phone to start it or something as a backup.
But nobody's addressed the wheel locking yet.