Lumidigm's LightPrintT sensor uses patented "multispectral" information to capture both surface and sub-surface data. This defeats attempts to use an imitation or dead finger.
Fingerprint technology has been around for some time, and if we are to believe what we see on all the crime scene investigation TV shows, it's pretty much foolproof. Unfortunately, this is not the case in real life. There are two primary sources of error: (1) how the original "reference" print is obtained and (2) how the new print is compared against it.
Lumidigm has set out to develop commercial-grade BioAPI compliant software that embodies an algorithm for enhancing the quality of optical fingerprints using a proprietary multispectral sensor. Currently, the light source of finger print devices provides poor images of up to 30% of the fingers due to skin dryness, excessive moisture, skin abrasions and other factors. By using multiple wave length visible spectrum light, with different dermal penetration characteristics, the amount of surface and shallow subsurface information is greatly enhanced so that virtually all of the shortcomings of current technology are overcome. Lumidigm's LightPrint technology enables the simultaneous capture of surface and subsurface skin characteristics. 
The development of this instrument to date has been underwritten by multiple funding sources including the United States Air Force, CIA, and NSA. The outcome of the effort of this CCAT-San Bernardino-funded proposal is BioAPI compliant software that provides improved fingerprint images using multispectral data, resulting in increased security and usability of the fingerprint system.
Thanks to the progress Lumidigm has been able to demonstrate with the support of the CCAT-San Bernardino award, the company closed on an $8.1 million funding round to bring its patent-protected LightPrintT technology to market. This round's investors include Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Draper Fisher Jurvetson New England, Fort Washington Capital Partners, Intel Capital, International Venture Fund, Motorola Ventures, Solstice Capital, Wasatch Venture Fund, and Wasatch New Mexico Fund. Additional information is available on the Lumidigm Web site at http://www.lumidigm.com.
For more information, please contact:
Juli Gandasatria, Sr. Technology Program Manager
Office of Technology Transfer and Commercialization
E-mail: jgandasa@csusb.edu
Phone: 909-537-7758 / Fax: 909-537-7450