An open source project called Dashboard Touch lets Mac users build their own Touch ID-style fingerprint sensor using a cheap off-the-shelf fingerprint sensor and microcontroller, wired together and connected via USB. The device emulates a keyboard, typing the user's stored password when a registered fingerprint is scanned, and includes a web interface for configuration such as ring light color and fingerprint enrollment. It is built as a refactoring of the tinyTouch project by Zimeng Xiong, stores passwords and fingerprints only locally, and is intended for casual physical security rather than high-security use cases.
Questions this post answers
How does a DIY fingerprint sensor unlock a Mac without official Touch ID support?
A microcontroller connected to a low-cost fingerprint sensor emulates a USB keyboard, and when a registered fingerprint is scanned it types the stored password into the password field. The password is stored securely on the Mac and fingerprint data is stored only on the sensor itself, with no internet connectivity except an optional manual update check. daily.dev surfaces builder projects like this for developers exploring DIY hardware authentication.
What project is Dashboard Touch based on for building a custom fingerprint scanner?
Dashboard Touch is an extensive refactoring of the tinyTouch project created by Zimeng Xiong, who worked out how to build a reasonably secure fingerprint scanner for regular Mac users from off-the-shelf parts. Dashboard Touch adds a web-based configuration interface on top of that approach for setting up sensors and enrolling fingerprints. daily.dev helps developers track open source hardware projects worth building on.