Viisage's Real-Time Face Recognition System Showcased by U.S. Patent Office as One of the Ten Most Important Inventions for Homeland Security

Business Wire, March 22, 2002

Business/Technology Editors

LITTLETON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2002

Viisage Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: VISG), the world leader in face recognition technology and identification systems and solutions, announced that it received recognition from the United States Patent & Trademark (USPTO) office for its real-time face recognition technology (Patent #6,292,575) as one of the ten most important inventions to improve homeland security. Viisage showcased its real-time solution and was honored at the Homeland Security Inventors Expo held on Monday, March 18, 2002 at the Department of Commerce in Washington D.C.

"Being recognized by the USPTO for our real-time face recognition patent as one of the most important inventions to help ensure homeland security is an extraordinary honor for Viisage," said Tom Colatosti, CEO & President of Viisage Technology. This tribute from the USPTO clearly demonstrates the instrumental role face recognition technology will have in enhancing national security and in Viisage's industry leadership."

James Rogan, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property commented that America's patent system plays a vital role in the development of the technological advances displayed at the Homeland Security Inventors Expo. "Most of these products are already in use here at home and abroad. They provide us with greater protection at our airports, borders, defense facilities and places of work. They will help the United States win the war on terrorism"

Viisage's real-time face recognition system is the critical technology that enables the real time capture of images that are then matched to previously stored images on databases. This innovative, patented technology, along with other patents and technologies owned or licensed to Viisage, is in use at several U.S. airports and is used by customers, such as Departments of Motor Vehicles, to scan millions of images and make database matches within seconds.

About Viisage Technology

Viisage Technology is the world leader in biometric face-recognition technology and identification systems and solutions that enhance consumer convenience, improve security and protect personal privacy. Originally developed at MIT, Viisage's patented, accurate, non-intrusive and cost-effective face-recognition technology is widely acknowledged for its unmatched performance including speed in real-time applications, scalability for managing large image databases, and systems integration for complete customer solutions.

Viisage delivers annually through 1,500 U.S. systems in 1,200 locations in 15 states, more than 25 million high-quality and high-security digital-identification documents for government agencies responsible for issuing drivers' licenses, social services cards and law enforcement credentials.

Viisage provides a full family of face recognition products. FaceEXPLORER(TM) is a powerful and scalable image retrieval and analysis database product, used to provide data base security and combat identity fraud. It is deployed in some the world's largest face recognition systems, including systems with more than 10 million enrolled images. FaceFINDER(TM), acclaimed for its processing speed, is the industry's most widely implemented surveillance and identification system. It is installed in U.S. airports for terrorist screening, used by more than 100 casinos worldwide and has been deployed to improve security at premier sporting events such as Super Bowl XXXV. FacePASS(TM) is a practical security solution for keyless entry to secure facilities, such as offices, dormitories and government facilities; for secure authentication for PC, Mobile, Internet and e-commerce connections; and offers consumers convenient and private verification for point-of-sale transactions such as ATMs. FaceTOOLS(TM) is a leadership Software Developers Kit that enables application providers the ability to develop and customize unique customer and market applications.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this document and those made from time to time by the Company through its senior management are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements concerning future plans or results are necessarily only estimates and actual results could differ materially from expectations. Certain factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among other things, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, the size and timing of award and performance on contracts, dependence on large contracts and a limited number of customers, lengthy sales and implementation cycles, changes in management estimates incident to accounting for contracts, availability and cost of key components, market acceptance of new or enhanced products and services, proprietary technology and changing competitive conditions, system performance, management of growth, dependence on key personnel, ability to obtain project financing, general economic and political conditions and other factors affecting spending by customers and other risks, uncertainties and factors including those described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation, the company's Form 10K for the year ending December 31, 2000 and its quarterly reports on Form 10Q.