SENSORS FEATURE
Words by Pontus Jägemalm, CTO, Fingerprints E
very day, we’re interacting with digital devices and services that automate and simplify the routines of daily life. From unlocking smartphones and managing finances to home heating and alarm systems, use cases are multiplying rapidly in an age of convenience. Sensors are all contributing to this increasingly connected wave of technology. But one sensor type is set to take centre stage as a complement to all of these: biometric. For a range of new industries, integrating biometrics into devices offers a compelling opportunity to enhance security, while removing points of friction. Following phenomenal success in the smartphone world, the presence of biometrics is multiplying, for “access” to our physical and digital worlds. But what’s the reality of the opportunity? And, crucially, what important safeguards need to be considered to ensure that adoption is well managed, and remains valuable to new industries?
MOBILES: THE SUCCESS STORY You need only look to the mobile sector to see the potential of biometrics. Around five years ago, biometrics in smartphones saw rapid adoption – jumping from three per cent in 2014 to a whopping 80 per cent in 2018. Consumers love it too - it has been reported that 82 per cent utilise biometrics on their smartphones when available to them.
Intensive R&D enabled the technology
to reach the masses. Better software dramatically improved the overall performance, security and
user-experience, and enabled smaller sensor size; this results in a greater flexibility for OEMs in design and integration processes. As a result, demand for active capacitive sensors soared and now, over one billion have been shipped worldwide.
ACCESS CONTROL: MORE USE CASES A rise in smart homes is creating the perfect platform for innovation with biometrics. Personal assistants and sensors around the home are automating everything, from turning on lights to setting heating systems. Conclusively, biometrics bring the most value, with greater security and personalisation. The physical access applications are extensive too. Door locks, medical cabinets, alarm systems – anything with PINs, passwords, codes and keys can be considered as an opportunity for biometrics. Working in collaboration with other sensors, the possibilities for
with PINs, passwords, codes and key can be considered as an opportunity for biometrics. Working in collaboration with other sensors, the possibilities for automation are endless.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT PRIVACY
While the possibilities are exciting, it is vital that
device makers take careful, considered steps. The
device makers take careful, considered steps. The
vulnerability and hackability of
vulnerability and hackability of cloud-based storage is well documented.
cloud-based storage is well documented. And in new industries, the risk of compromising consumer data could prove fatal to adoption.
Contrary to many common assumptions, most consumer
use-cases store biometric data and conduct the authentication process securely, in hardware, on the device. Look at the latest biometric payment cards: the secure element ‘chip’ in a bank card offers a dynamic environment for the storage, processing and matching of biometric information on the card. In short, data stays with the user,
rather than in a third-party location. As access control and other new applications emerge, championing this on-device, privacy first approach is crucial, especially as devices become increasingly connected in the world of IoT.
/ ELECTRONICS
Fingerprints’ FPC BM-Lite - a biometric solution with a robust FPC fingerprint sensor
ACCESSING NEW OPPORTUNITIES Fingerprints has worked hard with the access control industry to define a simple ‘plug and play’ module, to open the door for new players to add biometrics to their solutions. To meet the needs of these stakeholders, the company had to address three key requirements: ease of integration, performance and resilience. The module is simple to add
to solutions, preloaded with the necessary software and algorithms and without additional hardware. From FIDO authentication modules and cryptocurrency cold wallets, to door locks and safes, the module is versatile and easy to integrate without any biometric expertise. It’s also been defined in line with industry standard interfaces, including SPI and UART, to simplify device integration.
Performance needs to matcherformance needs to match
equivalent smartphone sensors. With the probability of just one in 500,000 that someone else’s fingerprint is alike
equivalent smartphone sensors. With he probability
hat someone else’s fingerprint is alike enough to match, and a rate of falsely rejecting the right finger at one per cent, the module delivers security with a reliable UX. The memory storage of the module can accommodate up to 50 users, and authentication takes under half a second.
To detail every possible use case for biometrics would far exceed the length of this article. And, excitingly, many use cases are still to be defined. But with the lessons learned from mobile devices, and with products being tailored to new solutions every day, adding biometrics has never been more accessible or offered more value.
Fingerprints
www.fingerprints.com ELECTRONICS | FEBRUARY 2020 37
and without additional hardware. From FIDO authentication modules and cryptocurrency cold wallets, to door locks and safes, the module is versatile and easy to integrate without any biometric expertise. It’s also been defined in line with industry standard interfaces, including SPI and UART, to simplify device integration.
A sensitive touch
Personalised biometrics
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
