Extracting hand vein patterns from low-quality images: A new biometric technique using low-cost devices

A new biometric technique using hand-dorsa vein patterns attracted attention these years. In this technique, extracting vein structures is a key procedure. For conventional algorithm, it is necessary to use high-quality images, which demand high-priced collection devices. That is because vein pattern images usually have low contrast, high-quality images are proper for segment. In our research, an extracting method for low-quality image is presented. The proposed method makes using low-cost devices possible. The results show that we could extract the vein networks as successfully as using high-quality images. In this paper, the principle of vein imaging is discussed, a new method to acquire vein images, which could enhance the contrast, is proposed, and the algorithm of extracting the vein pattern from low quality images is put forward. Our innovations are designing a new method to obtain good contrast vein images and proposing a novel denoising algorithm.