The surface of each person’s tongue displays a distinctive combination of shape, texture, papillae patterns and fissures that researchers say can be used as a biometric identifier similar to fingerprints.
What tongue prints are
The visible part of the tongue shows individual features: overall outline and contour, distribution and form of filiform and fungiform papillae, grooves or fissures, and surface texture and color. These elements combine into a pattern that differs between people and appears stable enough to be captured and analysed for identity verification.
Evidence and research
Forensic and biometric studies have documented measurable inter‑individual differences in tongue shape and surface features, and conference papers and reviews propose automated capture and matching systems that treat the tongue as a novel biometric modality with promising distinctiveness and spoof resistance.
Advantages and challenges
The tongue is protected inside the mouth, reducing environmental wear and deliberate tampering, and its three‑dimensional surface offers rich texture data useful for algorithms. Challenges include intra‑subject variability from hydration, food, illness or dental work, difficulty capturing consistent images, hygiene and user acceptance, and the need for robust datasets and standards before wide deployment.
Potential applications
Proposed uses range from forensic identification and secure authentication to multimodal biometric systems that combine tongue patterns with fingerprint or iris data for higher accuracy; practical adoption will depend on addressing capture ergonomics, privacy and clinical variability.
Takeaway
Tongue prints show promising uniqueness comparable to fingerprints in many studies, but practical biometric use requires standardized capture, validation across populations and careful handling of health, privacy and usability concerns.