ARDUINO-BASED BIOMETRIC ATTENDANCE SYSTEM

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A Science Investigatory Project (SIP) Presented to the

Faculty of Quezon Science High School

Isabang, Tayabas City

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Vince Angelo A. Chavez

Gerard Vann Vincent T. Gomez

Mark Judeil R. Tan

Proponents

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Russel T. Soltura

Research Adviser
 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Proper management and security are vital aspects in any institution’s progress

and success. For instance, attendance registries should be managed effectively and

securely to prevent complications within the system or institution. However, manual

attendance registry methods can often be time-consuming and some human errors and

fraudulent actions can nullify the data (Adewole, et al., 2014; Akinduyite, et al., 2013).

Nevertheless, innovations such as the usage of biometrics and automation fulfilled

these discrepancies. Biometrics, which uses a person’s unique physiological or

psychological features such as fingerprint, iris, retina and face for identification (Mishra

& Trivedi, 2011), combined with autonomous systems (automation) comprise most

automated attendance systems nowadays.

Traditionally, clocks and logbooks were used in attendance management

(Akinduyite, et al.,2013). In other places, calling out the names serves as a method of

recording the attendance manually. However, these methods are time-consuming and

require a lot resources (Krishnamurthi, et al., 2015). Advancements like biometric

identification and automation have demanded to have more reliable and secured

processes for attendance registry (Parvinzamir, 2011). Nowadays, biometrics is being

focused on as the most reliable security verification system (Adewole, 2014).

Attendance management systems fall into two (2) principal approaches:

conventional and automated. Conventional methods include time records, attendance

logs, time clocks and other manual procedures like calling out names of people. On the

other hand, automated types comprise Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) systems,

barcode scanners and biometric systems (Akinduyite, et al., 2013). Radio-Frequency

Identification (RFID) systems and barcode scanners both require a badge/card for

identification while biometric systems rely on biometric identifiers like iris, face or

fingerprint recognition and an electronic chip to operate (Nam, 2015). In the study, a

microcontroller, the Arduino will be used as the electronic chip in which the whole

system architecture will be based. Arduino is an open-source, cross-platform

microcontroller which can be used for various programming projects (Krishnamurthi,

2015). The efficiency of the system will be based on how fast it responds to external

stimulus and its ability to store, organize and identify information in real-time.

Attendance management used to be a light task that did not require extreme

effort and monitoring as it does today. However, as the global workplace population

continues to increase, the practicality and the efficiency of manual attendance systems

and methods diminish (Krishnamurthi, et al., 2015). Moreover, even though some

working automated attendance systems are present in the market, several issues still

affect their validity and effectiveness. For instance, the cards used in RFID and barcode

systems in some Philippine universities could be misplaced, mishandled or result to

buddy swiping, in which a person uses another person’s card in checking in (Nan, 2015;

Chiwa, 2014; Mishra & Trivedi, 2011). On the contrary, a biometric attendance system

can be portable and because it is based on a person’s unique characteristics like

fingerprint, it can eliminate fraudulence (Adewole, et al., 2015; Akinduyite, et al., 2013).

Although they have several types and applications, a microcontroller-based fingerprint

attendance system is not readily available in the country.

 Given the current context of attendance management in various institutions, the

researchers were motivated to conduct a study which focuses on devising an

automated attendance system using fingerprint recognition and Arduino microcontroller.

This can pave wat for a more practical, effective and secure means of attendance

registry and organization.

Statement of the Problem

This study generally aims to create an Arduino-based biometric attendance

system using fingerprint recognition.

Specifically, it also seeks:

1. to determine the effectiveness of the system using varied fingerprint

orientations in terms of:

a. average identification response time (s),

b. average verification response time (s),

c. total average response time (s),

d. average number of accurate verifications (s), and

e. average accuracy rate (%);

2. to measure the efficiency of the system using different power supply

percentages in terms of:

a. average identification response time (s),

b. average verification response time (s),

c. total average response time (s),

d. average number of accurate verifications (s), and

e. average accuracy rate (%);

3. to test the efficacy of the system using varied fingerprint orientations

and different power supply percentages in terms of:

a. average identification response time (s),

b. average verification response time (s),

c. total average response time (s),

 d. average number of accurate verifications (s), and

e. average accuracy rate (%);

4. to investigate the significant difference among varied fingerprint

orientations in terms of the average response time (s);

5. to identify if there is a significant difference among different power

supply percentages in terms of the average identification response

time (s);

6. to ascertain the significant interaction between varied fingerprint

orientations and different power supply percentages in terms of

average identification response time (s);

7. to determine the significant difference among varied fingerprint

orientations in terms of average verification response time (s);

8. to test the significant difference among different power supply

percentages in terms of average verification response time (s);

9. to ascertain the significant interaction between varied fingerprint

orientations and different power supply percentages in terms of

average verification response time (s);

10. to investigate the significant difference among varied fingerprint

orientations in terms of total average response time (s);

11. to identify if there is a significant difference among different power

supply percentages in terms of total average response time (s);

12. to find out if there is a significant interaction between varied fingerprint

orientations and different power supply percentages in terms of total

average response time (s);

13. to determine the significant difference among varied fingerprint

orientations in terms of average number of accurate verifications;

14. to test the significant difference among different power supply

percentages in terms of average number of accurate verifications;

15. to ascertain the significant interaction between varied fingerprint

orientations and different power supply percentages in terms of

average number of accurate verifications;

16. to investigate the significant difference among varied fingerprint

orientations in terms of average accuracy rate (%);

17. to identify the significant difference among different power supply

percentages in terms of average accuracy rate (%); and

18. to find out the significant interaction between varied fingerprint

orientations and different power supply percentages in terms of

average accuracy rate (%).

Hypotheses

H0 There is no significant difference among varied fingerprint orientations in terms of

average identification response time (s).

H0 There is no significant difference among different power supply percentages in terms

of average identification response time (s).

H0 There is no significant interaction between varied fingerprint orientations and different

power supply percentages in terms of average identification response time (s).

H0 There is no significant difference among varied fingerprint orientations in terms of

average verification response time (s).

H0 There is no significant difference among different power supply percentages in terms

of average verification response time (s).

H0 There is no significant interaction between varied fingerprint orientations and different

power supply percentages in terms of average verification response time (s).

H0 There is no significant difference among varied fingerprint orientations in terms of

total average response time (s).

H0 There is no significant difference among different power supply percentages in terms

of total average response time (s).

H0 There is no significant interaction between varied fingerprint orientations and different

power supply percentages in terms of total average response time (s).

H0 There is no significant difference among varied fingerprint orientations in terms of

average number of accurate verifications.

H0 There is no significant difference among different power supply percentages in terms

of average number of accurate verifications.

H0 There is no significant interaction between varied fingerprint orientations and different

power supply percentages in terms of average number of accurate verifications.

H0 There is no significant difference among varied fingerprint orientations in terms of

average accuracy rate (%).

H0 There is no significant difference among different power supply percentages in terms

of average accuracy rate (%).

H0 There is no significant interaction between varied fingerprint orientations and different

power supply percentages in terms of average accuracy rate (%).

Significance of the Study

The study will encourage the utilization of Arduino microcontroller in devising

useful apparatuses and machines that have a vast array of applications. Using

automation and fingerprint recognition, an attendance management device that is fast,

secure, effective and cost-efficient will be available to institutions. This will enhance

involvement in solving common problems in statistics and demographics, particularly in

employee management using applicable knowledge in electronics and programming. It

will eliminate the need for students and employees to sign their names or swipe their

identification cards, as well as prevent fraudulent actions and incorrect attendance

registries. Ultimately, the study can help boost the application of technology in providing

solutions to existing problems in the workplace. The results will benefit schools,

businesses and various establishments that require employee attendance management.

Scope and Limitations

This study generally aims to create an Arduino-based biometric attendance

system using fingerprint recognition. Specifically, it will seek to determine the

effectiveness of the system in terms of its identification accuracy rate, verification

accuracy rate, total accuracy rate and response time using varied orientations of the

fingerprint recognition system. Furthermore, it will also utilize different power supply

inputs to measure its effect on the system’s efficiency. Using a 4x3 factorial research

design, the study will be composed of 12 setups. It will be conducted in Lucena City,

Quezon from January to September 2018.

The study is limited to the use of Arduino Uno microcontroller and only one (1)

type of fingerprint recognition system. It does not cover other similar approaches that

use different components. External factors and unprecedented system errors such as

hyperhidrosis and data corruption can affect the results.

Definition of Terms

Accuracy rate is a variable that refers to the percentage of the total number of accurate

verifications of the system over the total number of fingerprints identified and

verified.

Accurate verification is a variable that refers to the correct fingerprint identification and

verification of the system.

Arduino is an open-source and cross-platform programmable microcontroller that will

be used as the main component of the system architecture in the study.

Attendance

Attendance system is any known method of taking, organizing and storing attendance

registries.

Biometrics

Biometric attendance system is a type of attendance system that uses automation

and biometrics such as fingerprint, iris or facial recognition in order to manage

attendance registries.

Fingerprint

Fingerprint identification refers to the stage in which the system memory stores a

fingerprint being enrolled to it.

Fingerprint verification is the stage in which a fingerprint is matched and verified if it is

already enrolled in the system memory.

Identification response time is a variable that measures the time that the system

memory takes to store a fingerprint being enrolled to it.

Verification response time is a variable that states the time that the system takes to

match and verify a fingerprint from its memory.

Total response time refers to the total time that the system needs to identify and verify

a fingerprint.
 RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents information from related literature, studies and scientific

reports and other sources relevant to the problem of this research study. It discusses

the conceptual model as well as the variables presented in this study. In “Arduino-

Based Biometric Attendance System”, the main idea is to create an automated

biometric attendance system using Arduino microcontroller and fingerprint recognition.

Arduino

Arduino is a manufacturer and designer of open source hardware and software

for single-board microcontrollers used for various electronic, digital and interactive

projects. Arduino UNO, which is based on the Microchip ATmega328P microcontroller,

is a widely used Arduino board for projects. It is equipped with sets of digital

input/output (I/O) pins of which 14 are digital pins and 6 are analog pins that may be

interfaced to other circuits. The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

software can be used to program the board through a type B Universal Serial Bus

(USB) cable which can also serve as a power source. Otherwise, an external battery

ranging from 7 to 20 V can also provide power to the board (Arduino, 2018).