How can you identify your fingerprints?

In this video we will talk about fingerprints. Fingerprints are made by

tiny ridges that are present on the tips of your fingers. Fingerprints are

scientifically and medically very important as no two people in the world

can have similar fingerprints. Fingerprints of an individual are totally unique. Fingerprinting rests on three key principles. The principle of

constancy means that an individual's fingerprints does not change in his lifetime. The principle of uniqueness means that it's statistically impossible

that two individuals will have similar fingerprints. Then the principle of reliability which means that we can use fingerprinting for various purposes such

as forensics, biometrics and it can also be used for differentiating between

populations as scientists believe that the distribution of various fingerprint patterns varies from population to population. On the basis of the patterns

that these ridges make on the tips of the fingers we have different types of

fingerprint patterns. We will discuss them one by one in this video. On the

basis of the patterns that the ridges make on the tips of the fingers we have

different types of fingerprint patterns. These patterns are distinguished on the basis of presence or absence of triradiate. A triradiate is a point which

can be located at the meeting point of three ridge systems which are opposing

each other. As you can see triradiate is a point where ridges moving in three

different directions meet. A triradiate is most often characterized by a point

called Delta. First of all we will discuss about arches. Arches are the rarest type of

fingerprint patterns found in human populations. They are also the simplest type of fingerprint patterns. In an arch the ridges move from one direction to

the other direction from one side of the finger to the other side of the finger

making a mound in the center. An arch does not have a triradiate. Arches can be

distinguished into two types. One is called the plain arch another is called

the tented arch. They are distinguished based on the flatness of the curve of

the ridges entering from one side to the other. In tented arch the ridges make an

upright first at the center as you can see. The second type of fingerprint

pattern is called loop. Loops are the most commonly occurring fingerprint patterns. In a loop the ridges originate from one side of the finger then curve

around before exiting towards the other side of the finger. A loop always has

one triradiate. A loop is further divided into two types depending upon the

direction of the opening of the ridges which can be either radial or ulnar. If

the ridges open towards the little finger then it's called as ulnar loop. In

case the ridges open towards the thumb then they are called as radial. The

third type of fingerprint pattern is called a whorl. Whorl comprises the second

predominant type of fingerprint pattern in terms of occurrence after loops. In a

whorl the ridges curve around a point called core in the form of concentric

rings or in the form of spiral rings. A whorl has always two triradiate on the

two sides of the finger. Now we will discuss the composite fingerprint

patterns. As you can see there are three types of composite fingerprint patterns

the central pocket loop, the double loop and the accident. The central pocket loop

pattern consists of a whorl embedded in a loop formation. A line drawn between

the Delta will not intersect a circle. As you can see on the left side of the

screen a central pocket loop is a whorl but with ridges moving in one direction

It can be either radial or ulnar. A double loop contains two loops in

opposite directions as you can see on the screen. A fingerprint pattern which

does not resemble any of these patterns is called as accidental. After watching

this video we hope that you will be able to identify your fingerprints