Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted a study for DHS to determine the amount of time it might take to successfully capture 10 fingerprint images.  As part of the study, the NIST researchers also examined how different types of instructions given to visitors affected the fingerprint-capturing time.

On average, the time to capture 10 fingerprints without operator assistance ranged from 48 to 64 seconds; with operator assistance, the time ranged from 50 to 54 seconds for the specific fingerprint system configuration used.  The researchers also found that when an operator helped guide the process, 98 percent were able to leave a 10-print image to successfully complete the collection process.  Participants who received oral instructions or video instructions with no audio component performed equally well; 93 percent were able to successfully complete the fingerprinting process with minimal errors in approximately 50 seconds. Participants getting instructions from a poster with no text had the most difficulty performing the fingerprinting task.  Only 56 percent were able to successfully complete the fingerprinting process; they took significantly longer (64 seconds) and made more errors.