PrintQuest

Automated Fingerprint and Palmprint Identification - AFIS & APIS Systems

PrintQuest® is offered as a complete system allowing an agency to construct and manage a local database of known fingerprints and palm prints and use this database for automated searching of latent fingerprints and latent palm prints recovered at crime scenes.

Segment: Scientific
Division: Forensics
Manufacturing Company: HORIBA Scientific

Use & Benefits

Automated Fingerprint/Palmprint Identification stand-alone desktop PC Systems are an affordable alternative to state based systems, offering the same powerful tools found on state systems at a fraction of the cost and in many cases increased accuracy.

A Complete System

All PrintQuest systems arrive as a complete package including a Dell desktop computer, scanner for 500/1000 DPI, laser printer, LCD monitor, keyboard, r/w DVD combo drives, Ethernet adapter, Battery Backup UPS, and ImgTool Image Enhancement software for latent image enhancement. The system includes detailed Audio/Video help functions to guide users through each step of the AFIS/APIS process. Three days of training at the user facility is standard, as is the one year of support.

Features

Powerful Skeleton Extraction

Unique extraction techniques and matching algorithms for skeleton information (ridge lines) give PrintQuest much higher accuracy than systems using only minutiae points in their matching software. PrintQuest displays commonly used line ends and line bifurcations, but the user works on the skeleton when preparing a latent for search. Approximate center, delta, angle and patterns should be indicated if known. Otherwise the user selects to search in 360 degrees of rotation, with no known center.

 

Automated Minutiae Extraction

In PrintQuest, it is not necessary to place minutiae points, on any print. PrintQuest features High Accuracy Auto-Extraction of centers, deltas, patterns, as well as minutiae points for unsurpassed user time savings on entry of prints. Auto-extraction allows PrintQuest® to be useful by both the novice and expert alike. Ten Print Card entry of fingers is simple and only requires user verification of centers, deltas, and patterns. The user is not required to edit minutiae points. For Palm Card entry, the user need only scan the palm images into the system as PrintQuest does the rest. Additionally, there is no need for splitting the palm into segments.

PrintQuest Search Types

The PrintQuest AFIS system allows the following search types

Fingerprint

  • Ten Print Card to Ten Print Card
  • Detection of Aliases
  • Ten Print Card to Latent print
  • Reverse Search
  • Latent print to Ten Print Card
  • “Classic” Crime to Suspect
  • Latent print to Latent print
  • Linking Crime to Crime

Palm

  • Palm Card to Palm Card
  • Detection of Aliases 
  • Palm Card to Latent Palm
  • Reverse Search
  • Latent Palm to Palm Card
  • “Classic” Crime to Suspect
  • Latent Palm to Latent Palm
  • Linking Crime to Crime

Facial

  • Photo to Mugshot
  • Video still to Mugshot

 

Additionally, the database can be searched by Biometric and Biographical data.


Fast and User-Friendly Tenprint Entry

PrintQuest features high accuracy auto-extraction of centers, deltas and patterns. The user can edit features, but PrintQuest saves users a lot of time because few corrections are required. Poor rolled prints can be replaced with slap prints. Palms and mugshots are saved with the Ten Print for their own searches.

Ten print database full details screen. Displayed: Demographic Data, Mugshots, Rolled Prints, Slaps, Palms

 

Image Scale

PrintQuest does not require the use of scaled latents. The software has a built in “Independent Scaling Tool” that offers the ability to work with latent prints of any (even unknown) scale without influence on the accuracy of matching results. If the scale is known, the user sets it. If the scale is unknown, the Independent Scaling Tool is used.

A latent finger to TP card hit with common points selected by user.

 

A palm latent to palm card hit with common points selected by user.

 

Linux Operating System

PrintQuest runs on the Linux Operating System. Linux is a cousin of the UNIX Operating System utilized by most State AFIS Systems. Linux was chosen to support PrintQuest® for its stability (dedicated system), performance (true multitasking), and security. Linux uses familiar PC concepts and features of a Windows™ environment and creates a user friendly interface but provides a more secure, stable and reliable platform. This provides our users with the familiarity of a window based environment without sacrificing the stability of a Linux operating system. Linux provides all of the advantages of windowed software. 

The Operating System is invisible to the user as PrintQuest has its own interface, which allows the user to perform all the needed functions from its main screen.

Unlike other Windows™ based AFIS systems which are simple software programs, PrintQuest is a highly sophisticated, dedicated system designed for a singular purpose; to match prints. PrintQuest is designed to be a dedicated system that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. While the machine is on, it is working, running background searches and finishing up any backlog related to the entry of information.

However, if workstations are used, the user has the option of a Linux or Windows terminal. Thus allowing third party software programs that are Windows™ specific, such as a case management program software to be used.

Friendly User Interface

PrintQuest AFIS includes friendly, easy-to-use interfaces for all system modules. When demoed to a prospective customer, PrintQuest is routinely ranked as the easiest system to use. The interface is designed for expert and novice alike. Please contact us for a list of users to speak with. Ask them how easy it is to use PrintQuest.

PrintQuest main screen. All applications, modules, and functions can be accessed from one central location. Access to individual areas and processes can be password controlled.

 

Easy System Restore

PrintQuest features automatic archiving of entered data. While archiving to external HDD and removing them to a secure site is recommended, dual hard drives in the system replicate data in case of hard drive failure. In emergency situations, the whole database structure can easily be restored from one hard drive once the failed hard drive is replaced. There is a full set of tools for complete database management, including diagnosing and repairing data segments. In the event of power failure at the user facility, PrintQuest is designed to back up the current search data and information while it shuts itself down. Once power is restored, simply turning the system on allows PrintQuest to pick up where it left off. These are standard features.

Size-Specific Pricing

Desktop AFIS systems usually come in a “one size fits all” configuration. An unlimited database is nice but, if you don’t have the data (recent ten print cards) to support it and the means to load the database then this type of system may be a waste of good dollars that can be used elsewhere, like workstations. By varying the size of the database and varying the corresponding List Price, PrintQuest systems have been designed to allow users to purchase the systems that best serve their immediate need as well as the anticipated need for 3 to 4 years. Any size specific PrintQuest AFIS may be upgraded to a larger database at any time. PrintQuest databases can be scaled from thousands to millions of Ten Print Cards.

A System that Grows with your Department

PrintQuest AFIS is an expandable AFIS solution. The system is modular; as an agency grows; the system grows with it, keeping up with the needs of the agency. The standard PrintQuest AFIS system has based on a single PC architecture.

PrintQuest can be configured on a single Personal Computer with a database as small as 1,000 Ten Print Cards and be configured on a dedicated, rack-mounted or virtual server with a database that numbers in the millions of Ten Print Cards.

In all configurations the software is the same, the only difference is the hardware. As database sizes increase, search times remain at a minimum by adding more AFIS matchers providing more search power. The flexibility of PrintQuest allows for these changes.

Regardless of the configuration, all hardware is standard, off-the-shelf Dell hardware. Unlike many AFIS systems, PrintQuest does not use proprietary hardware. This allows for quick and easy replacement of parts should service be required.

As an individual database grows, agencies find the number of personnel to operate and maintain the system also increases. PrintQuest users can increase the number of workstations, at any time, at any location. Depending on the individual AFIS user roles, an Input Work Station or a Full Work Station can be added to the system. Low Cost Input Work Stations help populate the database. The operator either scans in Ten Print (TP) cards manually or imports them from a Live Scan. The Full Work Station can do everything the Input Work Station can do, in addition to allowing the user to search latent prints in the database, and review the results. The workstations have the option to run in Linux or Windows.

Additionally, PrintQuest AFIS offers Remote AFIS workstations. These workstations are able to be placed in locations outside of the building the PrintQuest database resides. In addition to being deployed in another building, the workstations can be configured on a ruggedized laptop when operations in the field are necessary.

Backup

  • A second On-Board Hard-Drive is included and a PrintQuest backup function includes the Full Database.
  • DVD RW allows the Database to be stored outside the PC.  Controlled by PrintQuest.
  • An External Hard-Drive is included for scheduled backups of the Full Database.  Controlled by PrintQuest.
  • Backup on a networked server

Included with Each System

  • Installation
  • 2.5 day training on-site (within 3-5 weeks after delivery)
  • Support of 3 Events: Modem Factory Remote Support and Phone Support on our 800 Line.
  • One Year Warranty

Description

AFIS-APIS Complete System
Dell Precision Tower 

Includes

  • Intel® Xeon Quad Core Processor 3.6GHz 
  • 16GB RAM
  • 2 x 1Tb Serial-ATA (7,200 RPM) HDD
  • External 2Tb USB HDD
  • NVIDIA® Quadro P620, 4 mP to DP adapters
  • Gigabit Ethernet adapter
  • 8X DVD RW Drive
  • Dell Multimedia Pro Keyboard
  • Optical Mouse
  • Mouse Pad
  • Dell UltraSharp Wide screen Monitor 27”
  • Scanner Epson Perfection V600 Photo
  • Color Laser Printer Lexmark CS431dn with network capability
  •  APC Back-UPS Pro 900VA
  • Red Hat Linux Operating system Configured

All Computer Specifications are listed here “As Minimums” for the 250K Database.

Detection of Body Fluids with an Alternate Light Source
Since body fluids like semen, saliva, and vaginal fluids are naturally fluorescent, the use of a light source offers a unique method for locating them. A crime scene investigator can narrow down the specific locations of stains for collection instead of testing entire, large pieces of evidence such as a mattress, a carpet, a sheet, an article of clothing, etc. The dried body fluids will actually glow under the light source illumination.
Bruises, Bite Marks and Pattern Wounds
On some individuals, a tunable or multiple wavelength forensic light source may reveal bruise and patterned wound details that are invisible under normal white light illumination.
Detection of Gun Shot and Explosive Residues
There are several different types of residues found both in ammunition and explosives, which fluoresce. By using a tunable Forensic Light Source, observations can be made on items without touching the surface, to see if fluorescent residues are present.
Detection of Trace Evidence
Forensic and Alternate light sources are useful tools to detect both fluorescent and non-fluorescent trace evidence.

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