Technology Breakthrough Designed to Bring Fingerprint Sensors into the Mainstream Notebook PCs in 2009
UPEK, the leader in enterprise and consumer biometric fingerprint solutions, today launched the TCS5 TouchStrip Fingerprint Sensor, a technology breakthrough designed to be integrated into 2009 notebook PC models worldwide. Building on the universal usability and secure architecture that has made UPEK the leader in fingerprint sensors for the PC market, the TCS5 delivers innovations in design, durability, size and price that are unique in their ability to bring fingerprint sensors into the mainstream market. UPEK fingerprint sensors have shipped in millions of notebook PCs by leading brands such as Dell, HP, Acer, Sony, IBM/Lenovo, Toshiba, Gateway, Asus and more. UPEK is demonstrating the TCS5 to select PC manufacturers and the press at Computex Taipei June 3-6.
The TCS5 showcases UPEK’s new SteelCoat™ sensor coating that delivers durability, a critical feature for an authentication user interface, that is six times more robust than competing swipe sensors. The thick SteelCoat sensor coating is made possible by UPEK’s unique HD3D™ (High Definition 3 Dimensional) amplified sensing technology that penetrates thick surfaces to read the “live layer” of the skin. HD3D sensing technology, the same technology behind the only FIPS 201 and FBI certified silicon fingerprint sensor, reads virtually all fingerprints in all conditions to ensure that authorized and unauthorized individuals are recognized reliably.
The TCS5 Fingerprint Sensor sports a sleek, black look that complements the growing trend towards design-focused laptops. The TCS5 also boasts a compact footprint for easier integration and lower cost without sacrificing usability.
“PC manufacturers integrating fingerprint sensors into their laptops are shifting their focus from security in the enterprise to convenience for consumers,” said Roger Kay, analyst at Endpoint Technologies. “Attach rates for fingerprint sensors in PCs are also rising as more value-added services are rolled out, such as support for online identity verification and one-time password authentication in the enterprise.”
The TCS5 is offered with UPEK’s next generation Digital ID Hardware Engine™, a security co-processor that performs biometric processes – i.e. fingerprint template extraction, storage and matching – in a secure, hardware environment. UPEK’s sensor/processor chipset combination has set the standard for a secure biometric architecture over the past five years, enabling enterprise-level security such as RSA SecurID authentication.
UPEK is also demonstrating virtualization of the security processor into mainstream PC platforms to enable high-performance and security while lowering solution costs and facilitating drop-in integration.
In addition, UPEK will be previewing its award-winning Protector Suite software which leverages the TCS5 to enable a host of productivity and security features including logging in, accessing password-protected websites, launching favorite applications, switching user accounts on shared computers, and encrypting private files. The latest generation of Protector Suite builds on customer and user feedback, taking advantage of the millions of notebook PCs that have shipped with the software and more than ten years of development.
“We are pleased to offer such breakthrough technology innovation over such a broad product portfolio to our PC manufacturer customers,” stated Vito Fabbrizio, Director of OEM Marketing at UPEK. “Our hardware and software offerings are built upon years of market experience that will enable our PC OEM and ODM customers to offer the convenience and security of fingerprint authentication to the consumer market.”
To request a meeting or see a live demo at Computex, visit http://www.upek.com/news/events/meetings/computex_2008.asp
About UPEK
UPEK, Inc. is the global leader in enterprise and consumer biometric fingerprint solutions. UPEK authentication hardware and software are integrated into laptops from the world’s top five largest PC makers, as well as USB flash drives, external hard disk drives, and mobile phones from leading manufacturers. UPEK’s ecosystem of over 100 hardware and software partners enables strong authentication solutions for market verticals including healthcare, banking, education, and government. UPEK offers the only silicon-based fingerprint device that is FIPS 201 certified for authentication of over 10 million US government employees and contractors. UPEK also provides consumer packaged goods including the CES award-winning Eikon Digital Privacy Manager, the only fingerprint reader on the market that supports PCs and Macs. UPEK products make your digital world safe and personal. For more info, visit http://www.upek.com.
UPEK, the UPEK logo, TouchStrip, SteelCoat, HD3D, Digital ID Hardware Engine, Eikon and Protector Suite are registered trademarks or trademarks of UPEK, Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
