Biometrics Leader Targets Broad Government Security Applications With Optimized TouchChip Fingerprint Sensor

BERKELEY, Calif.–UPEK, Inc., the leading brand of biometric fingerprint security solutions, announced that it is demonstrating the industry’s first silicon fingerprint sensor designed to comply with Federal Identification Processing Standard (FIPS) 201 standards, enabling biometric authentication for government programs including Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-12, Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), Registered Traveler, and other national ID card programs, at this year’s CardTech SecureTech (CTST) industry show in Booth 120 at Moscone Center in San Francisco May 2-4, 2006.

The UPEK TouchChip TCS1 fingerprint sensor marks the first and only silicon-based fingerprint sensor designed to comply with the FIPS201 and HSPD-12 common standards for Federal employees and contractors. These standards were created to specify a reliable means of authenticating people accessing Federal facilities and information systems. The TouchChip fingerprint sensor is already being deployed in a broad range of applications including national identification programs in Thailand and Malaysia, and verifying the identities of personnel entering commercial and government facilities. This TouchChip fingerprint sensor delivers a significant cost savings over larger and more expensive optical sensors, making it an attractive option for government users required to implement biometric authentication on limited budgets.

The product demonstration at CTST will highlight the TouchChip TCS1 fingerprint sensor’s small size and low power consumption, while meeting the image size and image quality specified in FIPS 201 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP800-76. In volume production for years, the TouchChip fingerprint sensor is a proven device installed in numerous physical access and logical access solutions globally.

“HSPD-12 and FIPS 201 have had a major impact on the biometric industry,” noted Raj Nanavati, partner at International Biometrics Group (IBG), an industry consulting and integration firm. “It is critical for vendors to understand the specifications set forth in NIST SP800-73 and NIST SP800-76 and to design solutions that meet the evolving government requirements, and we are pleased to see the vendor community addressing this need.”

“This product reflects our commitment to meeting the growing needs of the government markets,” noted Mike Chaudoin, Director, Standard and Security at UPEK. “With it, we expect government agencies around the world to be able to improve the process of authenticating the identity of their citizens for improved security and more reliable identity credential applications, including ePassports, national ID’s and other biometrically secured credentials.”

About UPEK, Inc. UPEK, Inc., the global leader in biometric fingerprint security solutions, offers integrated end-to-end solutions including comprehensive design & integration services to the world’s leading consumer and industrial products companies. UPEK solutions enable the strongest fingerprint authentication security available, packaged for high user convenience and rapid integration into existing products and network architectures. The company has been pioneering biometric fingerprint technology since 1996 and shipping product in volume since 1999. UPEK is headquartered near Berkeley, California, with offices in Prague, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.upek.com/ctst.

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