The probability of human fingerprints being the same is only 1 in 64 billion. This is why fingerprints are used as a primary security measure. Even identical twins, who have matching genetic information, have different fingerprints. A technology has emerged that can imprint unique fingerprints onto electronic skin, which differ from person to person.
Professor Shim Kyo-seung's research team from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) announced on the 14th that they have developed an electronic skin imprinted with a unique wrinkle pattern that is even more distinctive than fingerprints. It seems an era is opening where physical artificial intelligence robots will be equipped with electronic skin that provides unique identifiable fingerprints.
The research team developed a production technology that allows for random wrinkle patterns to be easily imprinted on flexible polymer (SEBS) electronic skin. After chemically treating the flexible polymer to create the skin initially, they only need to drop toluene solvent onto it and rotate it quickly to create random wrinkles on the skin surface. The principle involves the skin surface, which swells due to the toluene solvent, shrinking into wrinkled formations when the solvent evaporates.
The probability of these artificial fingerprints being reproduced in the exact same shape is only 10⁻⁴³ per square millimeter, which is significantly lower than that of human fingerprints. This holds true even when scaled to the size of human fingerprints. They can maintain their fingerprint shape for a long time, even when subjected to physical shocks, heat, and humidity.
Professor Shim noted, "While employing a simple process, the probability of generating the same pattern is lower than that of actual fingerprints, so this technology could be widely applied in future technologies where security and unique identification are crucial, including personal electronic skin, continuous management-type soft robots, and next-generation human-machine interfaces."
References
Nature Communications (2025), DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57498-y