CEBIT 99: Fingerprint Security

Solving the problem of sending digital signatures over the Internet is crucial for the development of banking technology. The Compaq Fingerprint Identification Technology, is aimed at "organisations with a high interest in security, such as financial institutions (banks, brokerages etc)." The product is compatible with Windows 95, 98 and NT. Retailing at £100 per unit, the product features a box which simply plugs into the PC or laptop. The user then presses a finger on the box to record their fingerprint. What the software records is a digital representation of the fingerprint. A tiny camera in the Fingerprint Identification Reader captures an image of a fingerprint and uses algorithms to convert the image into a unique "map" of the fingerprint_s minutiae points. The Fingerprint Identification reader easily connects to the parallel port and either the mouse or keyboard port via a power pass-through cable. A USB port connection is also available. The Fingerprint Identification Reader can be kept on the desktop as a standalone device or used with a portable PC.