Fingerprint Based Attendance System Project

This assignment delves into the development of a fingerprint-based attendance system. It encompasses the design and implementation of both the attendance management and fingerprint identification systems. The report highlights the benefits of automated attendance, outlining how this system can streamline processes in educational institutions. The project faced challenges related to material procurement and funding, but these were overcome through resourcefulness and planning. The final section discusses future improvements and innovative potential for this type of system.

CE 2.1 Project Information
Name of the project: Fingerprint Based Attendance System
Location of the project: Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy
University (Electronics Engineering), Tanjore
Project Duration: From August of 2012 to November of 2012
Organization: Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy University
Role and Designation during the time: Team Member of the project
CE 2.2 Project Background
CE 2.2.1 Characteristics of the project
This project of Fingerprint Based Attendance System was my second important project in
bachelor’s degree. The major objective of this particular project was simply for the successful
development of a system that would be automating the complete system of attendance for every
student, who is pursuing educational courses in a college or university. This fingerprint based
attendance system is extremely important in any school or college as it focuses on the eradication
of every problem of fake roll calling or all types of malpractices. This project assures to provide
a dependable system of storing of the records of a student.
CE 2.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
The project of Fingerprint Based Attendance System comprised of various objectives.
The major objectives for this project are as follows:
 To develop a fingerprint based attendance system.

 To automate the complete system of attendance in any school or college.
 To capture and transfer fingerprint by means of USB.
 To eradicate all the problems of fake attendance or malpractices.
CE 2.2.3 My Area of work
My area of work consisted of many significant tasks. The first job that I had was the
selection of a good topic for the group project. Since, it was my second project, I had to be
extremely cautious regarding the project topic. I selected the significant topic of Fingerprint
Based Attendance System, as malpractices and fake attendance has become a major problem in
any school or college. My next work area was the perfect completion of the report part within the
project. I had the idea that if this documentation would not be done properly, it is needless to
mention that the remaining project part would also become a failure. Since, this was my second
big project, the team members and project leader had proactively helped me to understand the
project entirely and thus complete the report part.

CE 2.2.4 Project Group
Figure 1: People included in the project
CE 2.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
My first responsibility was to select the project topic. After various sessions of
brainstorming with all of my team mates, I chose the significant project of Fingerprint Based
Attendance System. My responsibility was to document the entire project readings. As, this
project was solely related to the attendance system of students, I gave extra sincerity to the part
of documentation. The materials that were needed for the project were unavailable because of
the remote area of my university. This was therefore my duty to arrange all the materials of this
project. I was successful in collecting all the materials.

CE 2.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1 Comprehending the Theory of the project
Biometric based attendance systems are eventually supposed to be extremely well
organized individual identifiers since they have the ability in keeping the track of unique features
in each person. Amongst all these technologies, the system of fingerprint recognition is applied
globally. This system of fingerprint recognition extracts the features based on minutia from all
the images of a fingerprint that are scanned and are made by the various edges, present on a
fingertip. The project that was based on a PIC microcontroller was designed for developing a
proper fingerprint attendance system by utilizing a module of SNFPR- UART fingerprint reader.
Figure 2: Block Diagram
The project of fingerprint based attendance system provides a description regarding the
communication of UART with the fingerprint reader and further executed as the system for
marking attendance and also monitoring the system. This particular system utilizes the 2X16

characters LCD, the PIC16F876A micro-controller and the SN-FPR-UART fingerprint reader
(UART). The features of this project are as follows:
i) PIC16F876A: This influential complementary metal oxide semiconductor FLASH-
based 8-bit microcontroller sets Microchip's powerful PIC R architecture into a 28-pin package
and is upwards compatible with the PIC16C5X, PIC12CSN-FPR-UART and PIC16C7X devices.
ii) SN-FPR-UART fingerprint Reader: SN-FPR-UART is a specific compact fingerprint
module with the built in memory.
This project of fingerprint based attendance system needed the following hardware:
 1 x PIC16F876A
 1 x Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
 1 x LCD (2x16 character)
 SN-FPR-UART fingerprint Reader module
 Related electronic components
CE 2.3.2 Engineering Knowledge and Skills applied in the project
I had perfectly utilized my explicit skills of electronics engineering for the perfect
achievement of this project. At the beginning, I had been unsure about this project; however,
afterwards, all of my confusions were absolutely clear. My power of critical thinking had always
helped me to understand the project of fingerprint based attendance system properly.
CE 2.3.3 Accomplishment and task performed
This project of fingerprint based attendance system was perfectly accomplished by taking
the support of my team mates, HOD and team leader. In this particular project, there were three

distinct ports for the interface of UART. One of the ports was linked to the internal or the default
UART pins in a PIC microcontroller that were RC6 and RC7. The other two ports were linked to
the four input output pins of a PIC microcontroller. Three input output pins were required for the
Buzzer and the two LEDs as the output of a PIC microcontroller. MCLR, RB6 and RB7 are
needed to be linked to the specific USB In-Circuit Programmer (UIC00A or UIC00B) for
programming that particular PIC microcontroller.
Figure 3: Input Output Connections
Three input output pins were required for the three push buttons as input of a PIC
microcontroller. The other push button was utilized for RESET button. The input output pin
should be pulled up to 5 volt by utilizing a specific resistor (with the range of value between 1K-
10K) and also this configuration would result in actively low input. When this button was
pressed, the reading of input output pin would be in logic zero, at the same time since the button
was not being pressed, the reading of that input output pin would be in logic 1. A specific user
can select either the AC to DC adaptor or the battery ranging between 9V-12V for powering up
the particular circuit. There were two distinct types of power connectors for the circuit, the DC
plug or J1 and the 2510-02. Specifically, the adaptor of AC to DC can be significantly plugged to
the J1 connector. This D1 was utilized was the protection of the circuit from incorrect supply of
polarity. The stabilization of the overall voltage was done with the help of C3 and C4 at the input
side of the voltage regulator, at the same time, the stabilization of the overall voltage was done
with the help of C5 and C6 at the output side of the LM7805 voltage supply. R1 was a resistor

for the protection of light emitting diode from the over current that would eventually burn the
light emitting diode.
CE 2.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
2.3.4.1 Issues
The major problem or issue that this particular project of fingerprint based attendance
system had was a significant problem in the raw material procurement. My college is situated in
Tanjore that is one of the remote places in India. Due to this remote location, there was a
significant issue as this project was being delayed. Furthermore, the funding of this particular
project was tremendously high and also we had faced several difficulties to overcome those
problems.
2.3.4.2 Solutions
I had used my outstanding power of intellect and critical thinking for resolving each and
every problem smoothly and easily. I had even convinced my HOD with this assurance that the
particular project would become a significant success in schools and colleges. The other issue
was the procurement of the materials of the project. I had few friends, who had the capability to
arrange the materials.
CE 2.3.5 Plan to produce creative and innovative work
We made a proper plan for producing innovative and creative work. In the beginning, we
made a list, what were needed for the project. When the list was made properly, we focused on
the various stages of the project. This project became successful for the perfect plan made by us
prior to the project.

CE 2.4 Project Review
CE 2.4.1 Project overview
The project of fingerprint based attendance system majorly comprised of the
development of the attendance management system and also the fingerprint identification
system. The management of attendance is extremely helpful in saving the precious time of all the
teachers and students. This project eventually presented a proper framework by utilizing how the
management of the attendance could be made automatic. The fingerprint based attendance
system could be utilized in schools and colleges. This is an extremely simple system and could
be operated with ease.