FormScanner™

FBI-Certified software applications for single and multi-batch scanning of fingerprint cards and conversion to NIST records

FormScannerSE™ and FormScannerMB™ are two independent applications for scanning and processing of inked fingerprint cards. They are available separately or as a bundle. FormScannerSE is designed for one-at-a-time, assisted “scan and entry” processing of fingerprint cards, such as for manual data entry of previously scanned card batches. It can also be used for manual “rework” such as crop region adjustments. FormScannerMB is designed for “multi-batch” scanning of large volumes of cards in an automated fashion, and provides features useful for high-volume processing such as support for automatic document feeding and real-time image quality feedback.

Both FormScanner applications use a template-driven workflow to support the processing of any card or form type. They automatically identify the finger images present on the form, crop them, and perform quality analysis, segmentation, sequence checking, compression, and data structuring as ANSI/NIST-ITL Type-4 or Type-14, and (optional) Type-20 records. They each utilize Aware’s AccuScan, NISTPack, and SequenceCheck SDKs. AccuScan is certified by the FBI and compliant with FBI image quality specifications (IQS).

FormScanner Diagram

Applications

Functionality Summary

Common Features

FormScannerSE™

FormScannerSE is a software application designed to assist the process of scanning and processing of fingerprint cards and forms. Used with off-the-shelf consumer-grade flatbed scanners, it utilizes three Aware SDKs: AccuScan, NISTPack, and SequenceCheck, and is FBI certified.

The user interface implements workflow designed to enable the operator of the workstation to scan the form, make corrections, and manage the manual entry of the biographic data contained on the form. The section of the form containing the biographic data is displayed on the top half of the screen and the data entry boxes of the application are displayed on the bottom half of the screen. As the user moves the cursor to the selected data entry box, the scanned form pans and scrolls automatically in the top half of the screen so the original biographic data in typed or handwritten form is display prominently to assist keyed data entry.

A “rework station” equipped with FormScannerSE can be used to manually perform crop region adjustments, fix sequence errors, and perform data entry on forms previously scanned using FormScannerMB in a batch-scan process.

Automated, reworkable fingerprint image cropping

Automated, reworkable fingerprint image cropping

Manual entry of additional field values

Manual entry of additional field values

FormScannerMB™

FormScannerMB is a software application designed for high-volume fingerprint card scanning and conversion to skeletal NIST records. It operates in batch mode with one or more certified scanners such as the Epson 10000XL. Use of automatic document feeders (ADF) are supported, and two-sided form scanning is supported through the duplexer option available with certain Epson scanner models. The application enables full management of the scanner, with functions for setting up batch jobs, starting and stopping jobs, and handling paper jams. Multiple scanners operating simultaneously are supported from a single workstation.

Reports on image quality can be generated during and following the scan of a batch. Configurable quality thresholds can be set, and automatic alerts are generated when thresholds are not met. This is to alert an operator to problems before large quantities of forms are scanned improperly.

FormScannerMB outputs “skeletal” NIST records to which biographics and metadata from the cards can be added later (using FormScannerSE). Either Type-4 or Type-14 records containing WSQ images can be included in the output transaction. Type-20 records containing a lossless JPEG 2000 compressed image of the front and back of each card can optionally be included.

File viewer

File viewer

Batch quality reporting

Batch quality reporting

FormScannerSWFT™

FormScannerSWFT is a version of FormScannerSE for scanning and processing of inked fingerprint cards. It is preconfigured specifically for “Secure Web Fingerprint Submission”, or SWFT. It includes all of the features associated with the standard FormScannerSE, including “scan and entry” of fingerprint cards, assisted data entry, and ANSI/NIST compliant file creation and validation. It adds data formatting features that make it ready-to-go for file submission to the SWFT portal.

FormScannerSWFT is designed for one-at-a-time, assisted “scan and entry” processing of fingerprint cards, such as for manual data entry of previously scanned card batches. It can also be used for manual “rework” such as crop region adjustments.

FormScannerSWFT uses a template-driven workflow to support the processing of any card or form type. It automatically identifies the finger images present on the form, crop them, and perform quality analysis, segmentation, sequence checking, compression, and data structuring as ANSI/NIST-ITL Type-4 or Type-14, and (optional) Type-20 records. It utilizes Aware’s AccuScan, NISTPack, and SequenceCheck SDKs.

The user interface implements workflow designed to enable the operator of the workstation to scan the form, make corrections, and manage the manual entry of the biographic data contained on the form. The section of the form containing the biographic data is displayed on the top half of the screen and the data entry boxes of the application are displayed on the bottom half of the screen. As the user moves the cursor to the selected data entry box, the scanned form pans and scrolls automatically in the top half of the screen so the original biographic data in typed or handwritten form is displayed prominently to assist keyed data entry.

A “rework station” equipped with FormScannerSE can be used to manually perform crop region adjustments, fix sequence errors, and perform data entry on previously scanned forms.

What is SWFT?

In 2010, the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence) (USD(I)) of the United States Director of Defense directed all DoD components to transition to electronic capture and submission of a full set of fingerprints in support of all background investigations by Dec. 31, 2013. This requirement extends to contractors cleared under the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). There are approximately 13,300 cleared facilities under the NISP. Of those, approximately eleven percent currently submit fingerprints electronically. Cleared facilities can begin using the Secure Web Fingerprint Transmission (SWFT) program to submit fingerprints electronically at any time.

SWFT is a web-based program that provides industry users the ability to securely transmit records directly from their records management systems to SWFT via secure web services. The process allows fingerprint images to be captured electronically, uploaded to the server where they are stored temporarily, and then released from the SWFT system to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).