There are four main types of biometric fingerprint sensor: optical, capacitive, ultrasonic, and thermal. The basic function of every type of sensor is the same: to capture an image of the user’s fingerprint and authenticate them through matching with a stored template. But each has its key features and use cases.
NEXT Biometrics is a pioneer in the field of
Active Thermal® technology.
Trusted for 25 years
10m sensors shipped
Patented & proven
Certified & implemented globally
Tailored for high-security use cases
What is Active Thermal technology?
There are two types of thermal sensor: Passive and Active. Both Passive and Active Thermal sensors evaluate fingerprint profiles by measuring the difference in surface temperature across an array of pixels, to build up a complete 3D picture of the fingerprint.
With Active Thermal technology, the sensor also actively emits a small amount of heat. When a finger is placed on the sensor, the amount of heat transfer is measured to identify the fingerprint’s ridges and valleys.
This is fundamental in the fight against spoofing attacks, helping to identify live fingers as human skin reacts to heat differently compared to other materials.
Thermal sensor solutions have steadily gained momentum in the industry. This is down to their large, thin FAP-standardized sensing area combined with high image quality and low energy consumption.
Why consider switching to Active Thermal technology?
Compared to competing technologies, Active Thermal sensors offer many advantages:
- Secure future-proof solution – Selecting a proven, secure technology is essential for the longevity of implementations. With in-built hardware anti spoofing and leading liveness detection, NEXT’s technology is proven to combat spoofing attacks for sensitive use cases.
- Cost-effective performance & integration – Ensuring an attractive price point and seamless integration into the manufacturing process are essential to any technology’s scale. With thin, energy efficient sensors, embedded hardware and low temperature polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor (LTPS TFT) technology, the overall cost of the solution is reduced, and authentication can be performed at speed.
- Excels in demanding environments – Performance is not just about speed, biometric sensors must work in varying conditions. Active Thermal technology works in the most demanding environments. Our sensors are immune to sunlight interference and perform both indoors and outdoors, in humid climates, with sweaty fingers, and have low sensitivity to electrical and environmental noise. We can even guarantee full functionality in temperatures ranging from -20°C up to 60°C.
