Qualcomm’s under-display fingerprint sensor even works when wet
Qualcomm has unveiled fingerprint sensing technology claimed to be capable of scanning through thick display screens and even operating underwater.
Launched this week at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, the next-generation ultrasonic sensors are said to represent a significant advance on existing sensors, thanks to their ability to scan through glass and metal to detect directional gestures and to operate underwater.
The devices use ultrasonic soundwaves to penetrate the skin and capture 3D details that are used to generate a detailed surface map of the fingerprint. This level of detail is beyond the reach of existing capacitive touch sensing technologies.
The sensors are capable of scanning through OLED display stacks of up to 1200um, and is claimed to be the first commercially available technology of its kind able to scan through up to 800µm of cover glass and up to 650µm of aluminium.
Qualcomm also claims that the technology is also the first commercially available solution of its kind able to detect heartbeat and blood flow.
The firm’s vice president of product management Seshu Madhavapeddy said that the technology will give consumer device manufacturers even greater design freedom, and enable the production of sleeker products.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
I´m sure politicians will be thumping tables and demanding answers - while Professor Bell, as reported above, says ´wait for detailed professional...