When we think of what can identify us, we think of DNA and fingerprints. But that is not all that can identify us. Biometrics are the parameters of a person that can identify them. one of these features is your veins. Vein patterns are unique to an individual, as fingerprints are.
Our skin is composed of three layers, the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The veins that are used for identification typically run in the dermis of the skin. How these veins branch, bend, and what structures they run over are unique to each person.
Vein pattern analysis is done so by photographing a suspect infrared light. Then comparing it to images of the perpetrator that have been run through a near-infrared filter. Infrared is absorbed by haemoglobin, a protein in the blood that carries oxygen. This light creates a dark pattern of veins against a transparent background. This reflected light is then photographed.
Vein patterns can’t be manipulated, and they lie deep in the skin. Vein pattern analysis is a relatively new form of biometric identification. It is often used alongside other methods of forensic investigation to reach a conclusion. Vein pattern analysis was first used in the UK courts in 2006. This type of biometric is used in cases where there is a question of identity in Interpol cases. Or more commonly vein pattern analysis to identify perpetrators from images in sexual assault crimes.