Fingerprint Recognition

Hi all!
I want to do as a final project an access system based on fingerprint recognition.
The sistem should work like this:
in the first phase the system would register few members, reading their fingerprint with a Microsoft Fingerprint Reader.
IN phase two the system should indetify if a persons's fingerprint exist in the database.

I saw on internet many aplication using Matlab but i want to do an independent software wich not require instalation of Matlab.
I search now for some methods (implementation in C or other langauges) of a method of extraction of caracteristics from the fingerprint photo and some comparision methods.

If you have any other advices i would be grateful

Cristian