Inside a 1USD Fingerprint reader

I picked up a finger print scanner on a whim in Akihabara the other day, it was only a dollar so I figured what the hell.

finger1

Looks pretty normal. I figured it would have a cheap USB controller inside.

finger2

Model NEC PU800-30-S02. Hmm 2.5W… that seems kind of high…

finger3

It’s got an FPGA in it!! Which explains the 2.5W I guess!

finger4

Not only that but a PXA255 too. Crazy powerful for what I assumed was a relatively dumb device.

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