1. A method for a processing device to determine a two dimensional (2D) rolled equivalent handprint image from a three dimensional (3D) model of the handprint, comprising: determining by a processing device 3D coordinates of a handprint by processing one or more handprint images using a structured light illumination technique; generating by the processing device 3D coordinates of a smooth handprint surface that approximates a shape of the handprint; extracting by the processing device detailed handprint surface information from the 3D coordinates, wherein the detailed handprint surface information includes ridge height information; generating by the processing device a mesh of nodal points from a set of the 3D coordinates of the smooth handprint surface, wherein the mesh of nodal points are modeled as connected by springs with a relaxation distance equal to the Euclidean distance between the nodal points in the 3-D space; projecting by the processing device the mesh of nodal points with 3D coordinates onto a 2-D plane; iteratively allowing the nodal points to move in the 2D plane such that the total energy stored in the springs connecting the nodal points is minimized to create a 2D unraveled mesh of nodal points; and assigning the detailed handprint surface information to each nodal point in the 2D unraveled mesh of nodal points.