NEC and Shimon Bring NEC Fingerprint Matching Technology to Embedded Devices

    Nov. 10, 2005
    NEC ports its fingerprint matching technology to low-cost embedded devices

    RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. - NEC Solutions (America), Inc., a premier provider of integrated solutions for the Connected Enterprise in North America, today announced that its best-in-class fingerprint matching technology will soon be available on low-cost embedded devices and commercial applications, allowing enterprises to improve information security, minimize associated help-desk costs and realize immediate workforce productivity gains -- regardless of location.

    The breakthrough comes via an agreement between NEC Solutions America and Shimon Systems, a provider of secure, biometrics-based solutions that allow enterprises to address problems with passwords. Under the terms of the agreement, NEC's Positive Identification (PID) system will be integrated with the Shimon Biometrics-Embedded Module (BIO-EM with and without Ethernet) solution from Shimon Systems. According to International Biometrics Group, the market for fingerprint-based security systems is expected to grow from $510 million in 2003 to over $2.5 billion by 2008.

    "Leveraging NEC's expertise in fingerprint biometrics with Shimon's extremely cost-efficient and versatile platforms for fingerprint feature extraction, matching and storage creates an affordable security solution for our customers," said Phil Scarfo, senior vice president, Public Sector Division of NEC Solutions America. "Together, we can deliver a sophisticated solution to rapidly growing markets, such as healthcare, banking, public sector and public safety, for non-forensic fingerprint-based security systems."

    NEC's PID is the key to achieving the highest level of accuracy in identity verification using fail-safe biometric parameters. Boasting a fully customizable and scalable architecture, the PID system has been combined with Shimon's embedded devices to offer customers a flexible design, improved efficiency, lower cost and adaptable portability. Fully scalable to meet the needs of large and small environments, the joint solution will be capable of identifying and verifying individuals from just one or two finger images.

    The joint solution replaces insecure passwords with fingerprint matching to control access at e-commerce, ATM or physical access systems, and enables enterprises of all sizes to control access at each of these highly critical entry points.

    "As a major participant in the small- to medium-sized enterprise security market, we chose to work with NEC because of its leadership in large-scale fingerprint matching solutions," said Dr. Baldev Krishan, president and CEO, Shimon Systems, Inc. "Combining the best of both worlds, we are confident our joint expertise will result in immediate, long-term benefits for our customers. Together we will deliver exceptional fingerprint biometric solutions to the commercial corporate security market."

    Through the integration of NEC's PID system with Shimon's end-to-end fingerprint biometrics platform, customers will benefit from a complete, standalone authentication solution with easily customizable hardware and software to accommodate design needs.