Cops will soon be able to scan your fingerprints from a distance

 

For more than a century, recording people's fingerprints has entailed them pressing their fingers against a surface. This process initially entailed the use of ink, but has since shifted to sensors embedded in airport scanners and smartphone screens. The next stage of fingerprinting will not require any physical contact.

Contactless fingerprinting technology utilizes a phone's camera and corresponding image processing algorithms to capture people's fingerprints. By holding one's hand in front of the camera lens, the software can identify and store all the lines and swirls on one's fingers.