Fingerprint modules simplify biometrics
By Warren Webb -- EDN, March 17, 2005
Fingerprint Cards recently announced two new biometric subsystems that allow designers to easily integrate biometrics-enabled authentication into other products. Based on the company’s sensor technology and patented analysis algorithms, the FPC-AM and FPC-SM modules include both the fingerprint-sensing hardware and the image-processing firmware. A host processor, sending simple commands over a serial interface for enrollment and verification, controls the modules. The product automatically creates fingerprint templates and stores them in a local module memory. Designers can also use the module with external ly stored fingerprint templates from central databases, smart cards, or portable flash memories (Picture).
The vendor based the FPC-AM and FPC-SM subsystems on the company’s capacitive FPC1011C area and FPC1031B swipe fingerprint sensors, respectively. A thick protective coating on both units prevents users from directly touching the sensor chip surface and also protects the sensor against ESD to more than 15 kV. The fingerprint sensors also use all 256 gray-scale values in each pixel to increase image quality. The FPC-AM or FPC-SM susbystems cost $100 (five). Both modules are also available in a $350 test-and-development package comprising one FPC-AM or FPC-SM, cables, power supply, Windows-based evaluation software, and start-up support.
Fingerprint Cards AB, www.fingerprints.com.
