Fingerprint Cards’ swipe sensor technology in biometric secure debit and credit cards

Fingerprints´ swipe sensor technology has been chosen for the development of a new biometric secure payment card.

The customer is CardLab ApS, which has been running a project for some time and will now develop and produce prototype cards to evaluate functionality. The biometric card will have the same format in size and thickness as the standardized plastic cards in circulation today, and can be read by the magnetic stripe card readers used in existing payment systems. A complete biometric system will be embedded in the card powered by wafer-thin batteries also inside in the card. Once the cardholder has verified his or her identity to the card´s biometric system then the card can be used for a transaction. Without this biometric verification information cannot be read from the card´s magnetic stripe and a biometric verification must take place for every new transaction being made. The biometric information of the cardholder never leaves the card.

Technology developed by CardLab (www.cardlab.com) has been central to the project, and this programs and controls the information on the card´s magnetic stripe. Fingerprints´ extremely power efficient system for fingerprint verification is the other essential enabler to make this secure card solution successful. Fingerprints´ newly developed processor ASIC has reduced embedded power consumption to a level necessary to match the card´s battery capacity, and allow normal use of the card for a period of approximately two years. Along with its new processor ASIC Fingerprints will deliver its swipe sensor, its algorithm, and provision of technical support to integration.

The product now being developed is unique. Other salient features are that it concerns the standardized magnetic stripe card that is by far the most used card in payment systems in major parts of the world, such as in North America. That already existing card readers can be used means no changes will need to be made in the already built up infrastructures, and this may be a decisive factor for product market introduction in these markets.

About Fingerprint Cards AB

Fingerprint Cards AB (Fingerprints) has developed electronic systems that determine personal identity by analysing the unique fingertip patterns of individuals. The systems comprise microchips with algorithms that scan, store and compare fingertip patterns without the help of any PC processor. Two types of capacitive sensors have been developed, an extremely small swipe sensor and a flatbed sensor. Processor ASICs and algorithms have been developed for each type of sensor. By virtue of its smallness, low power consumption and the possibility of very low production costs, the technology can be integrated in volume products such as smart cards and mobile (cell) phones, where the requirements for such features are extremely high. Other applications for the technology include access control systems for buildings and products for log on to computers and IT networks.

www.fingerprints.com.