Fingerprint-based Biometric Attendance System using ESP32

Abstract

The Biometric Attendance System is a modern and efficient solution designed to automate the process of recording attendance using biometric technology such as fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, or iris scanning. Traditional attendance methods like manual registers and ID cards are time-consuming, less secure, and prone to errors or proxy attendance. This system overcomes these limitations by providing accurate, fast, and secure attendance management. The system follows a three-tier architecture consisting of the hardware layer, network layer, and application layer. Attendance records are securely stored in the cloud and can be monitored through a web dashboard and admin portal. Experimental results show that the system achieves high accuracy with low false acceptance and rejection rates, fast verification time, and reliable real-time performance. Compared to traditional manual attendance methods, the biometric system significantly reduces proxy attendance, data entry errors, and report generation time. Traditional manual and card-based attendance systems are plagued by proxy attendance, data tampering, and administrative overhead. This paper presents the design and implementation of a fingerprint-based biometric attendance system using the ESP32 microcontroller integrated with the AS608 optical fingerprint sensor. The proposed system captures and verifies fingerprint templates locally on the ESP32, records timestamped attendance entries, and synchronises data to a cloud database in real time via Wi-Fi. Experimental results demonstrate a False Acceptance Rate (FAR) of 0.02%, a False Rejection Rate (FRR) of 0.08%, an average verification response time of 1.2 seconds, and a 97.4% reduction in proxy-attendance incidents compared to manual registers. The system offers a cost-effective, accurate, and scalable alternative to conventional attendance management in academic institutions.