It probably sounds crazy if I'm wrong but is it possible to get a fingerprint reader to turn a computer on? Just a crazy idea I came up with while reading a touch sensitive power button guide.
i would say its definitely possible. i'm not that big on tech, but someone on here definitely knows how to. great idea
i know a lot of laptops and keyboards already use fingerprint readers but i'm not sure if they actually turn on the computer though rather than just recognize a user.
I'm not sure how those fingerprint readers work, but I'd guess that a power switch would require some kind of physical momentary circuit of some sort to supply power-lead to the system.
not likely to be able to work although if you go for a reader that is like the strip that you swipe across and you want to have the effect of turning on the pc with the reader then you could mount a small touch sensitive button and then you could have similar to having 1 swipe to turn on and 1 swipe to log in
im guessing you would have to have power to the fingerprint reader to make it work so wouldnt that mean the pc would already be on? unless you can find away of powering it seperatly.
crack the case of the fingerprint reader open, a then take a 5volt line into the case(of the reader) and you could probably use a small Ac>DV converter rated for 5volts
There is a 5VSB on your Powersupply it is always on. Depending on the reader you may have to make a small circuit to get it to work.
5vsb should be used sparingly, as the ATX spec only *recommends* that it be capable of proving up to 2A. That's quite a lot of juice but bear in mind the cooling of the PSU is off even if you draw a bunch of power from 5VSB, so unless you know the PSU is capable it might be a bit risky (no active cooling = hot vregs)
Aren't you all forgetting something? If the computer is off, what is going to compare the scanned fingerprint against the stored biometric user data, if not the PC software that drives the fingerprint scanner? What you need is a fingerprint scanner that functions autonomously, and that requires something with its own processor and memory. Not cheap. Unless you can mod a PDA with fingerprint scanner to verify you and in turn switch on the PC.
look below so what i'm thinking (not sure about the o.p.) is that you mount the small touch sensitive button, or a pressure button in the fingerprint reader, and that will be used to turn the computer on, and then when its on, you use the fingerprint scanner normally. or, just make you own wire/jumper that normal mounts on your mobo, extend it all the way out of you case , up the usb cord, and into the casing of the fingerprint reader. and then you cane mount a normal momentary switch on the fingerprint reader that will turn the computer on etc, etc, etc
Nexxo: Shouldn't you be able to run a USB scanner off a PICAXE? As for the 5VSB it would depend on the current draw. Most scanners are USB so that's a max of .5A then again I wouldn't think it would draw that much would it? Just check your PSU, mine is rated at 3A. I have found a couple of standalone readers aswell, but cannot find a place that stocks them, let alone prices. The SecuGen Fingerprint Sensors and the BiokeyBKS-1700.
Won't be long before an IC in combination with flash ROM would suffice, I'd imagine. Till then, I guess you'd have to settle for simple user authentication, although it's feasible that you could induce a wake state from low power cycle, such as STR. Intel did a bunch of product testing in the Biometric User Authentication field, which gives a lead on a few potential candidates. Makes for some interesting reading too... wonder how they thought up the Lacrosse ball test?! [edit] Although this fingerprint scanner is meant for password usage, I wonder if you could do something in conjunction with Wake on USB to bring a machine out of STR? [edit2]or this microsoft one, for that matter.
could you make a switch which uses temprature and has a beam of light go across it to make it look like its scanning your finger.
Pug! Long time no see! Those unity rely on the PC to do their thinking for them. A two-stage turn on first, then authenticate would be possible, but there is up to 45 seconds boot time in between. Not elegant.
Hey mate. That's why I was on about having it wake from STR (Suspend to RAM). Given a Wake On USB setup, it should only be a matter of a few seconds, at most, if my rigs are anything to go by.
