Design of a Fingerprint Biometric Access Control System with GSM Functionality

We live in a world with ever-increasing digital technology, hence the need for enhanced security systems is vital. In the past a simple PIN or password would have been sufficient to maintain the integrity of security systems, however with the advancements in technology, these are slowly becoming a secondary method of access control. Biometrics provide an enhanced level of security since they make use of unique characteristics or features of a person making them increasingly popular in security systems. This paper describes a project in which the fingerprint biometrics together with the Arduino Uno are used to provide access to a home security gate. A Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) module is appended to the system and used to provide an alert when unauthorised access occurs via a cellphone. A fingerprint biometric system using the Arduino Uno and a GSM module was designed and built for this paper. The fingerprint biometric system was then tested for authorised entry, unauthorised entry and the sending of an SMS in the event of unauthorized entry by the GSM module. When an authorized fingerprint is scanned the system grants entry correctly 71% of the time. In the event that an unauthorized fingerprint is scanned the system rejects access 100% of the time. Finally, when there is unauthorized access the system sends an SMS correctly to the occupant's cellphone via the GSM module 89% of the time.