UPEK Launches Developer Contest for Windows 7 Biometric Applications

Business Wire, August 12, 2009

Co-sponsored by Microsoft, Contest Encourages Software Development Utilizing First Windows Operating System with Native Support for Fingerprint Biometric Authentication

EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- UPEK®, Inc., the leader in enterprise and consumer biometric fingerprint solutions, today announced the launch of the Worldwide Biometric Challenge, a developer contest for biometric applications on Windows 7, the first Windows operating system with native support for fingerprint biometric authentication. The contest, co-sponsored by Microsoft Corp., encourages software developers to utilize the Windows Biometric Framework (WBF) to build applications that make use of notebook computers with integrated fingerprint sensors as well as USB peripheral fingerprint readers.

“There are tens of millions of laptops with fingerprint sensors in use. Today the applications running on those notebooks are limited in their ability to access the fingerprint capability,” commented Brian DeGonia, senior manager, product marketing at UPEK, Inc. “Windows 7 will bridge the gap by making it much easier for the large and diverse Microsoft developer community to develop innovative software that utilizes the fingerprint capability in new ways.”

“UPEK worked closely with Microsoft and showed leadership in the industry by fully supporting the Windows Biometric Framework with its hardware and software on Windows 7,” said Dustin Ingalls, director of program management in the Windows Core Operating System Division at Microsoft. “We are excited to co-sponsor this contest and encourage the Microsoft developer community to create a new generation of unique applications that take advantage of the growing number of fingerprint readers found on Windows-based PCs.”

Submissions to the Worldwide Biometric Challenge will be judged for their innovativeness, usefulness, usability and utilization of the WBF. Submissions are due November 9, 2009 and winners will be announced November 16, 2009. The winner and runners-up will receive prizes and have their applications featured on the UPEK website. For more information visit www.upek.com/win7contest.

UPEK’s fingerprint sensors are integrated into many laptops and USB peripheral fingerprint readers that ship with UPEK’s Protector Suite® software, which enables users to simply swipe their finger to login, access password-protected websites, switch users, encrypt files and launch favorite programs. For more information, visit www.upek.com/solutions/psql/default.asp.

For owners of desktop computers or laptops without integrated fingerprint sensors, UPEK offers a stand-alone USB peripheral, the Eikon® Digital Privacy Manager. For more information, visit www.upek.com/solutions/eikon/default.asp.

About UPEK

UPEK, Inc. is the global leader in enterprise and consumer biometric fingerprint solutions. UPEK authentication hardware and software are integrated into laptops from the world's top five largest PC makers, as well as USB flash drives, external hard disk drives, and mobile phones from leading manufacturers. UPEK's ecosystem of over 100 hardware and software partners enables strong authentication solutions for market verticals including healthcare, banking, education, and government. UPEK offers the only silicon-based fingerprint sensor that is FIPS 201 certified for authentication of over ten million US government employees and contractors. UPEK also provides consumer packaged goods including the CES-award-winning Eikon Digital Privacy Manager, the only fingerprint reader on the market that supports both PCs and Macs. UPEK products make your digital world safe and personal. For more info, visit www.upek.com.

UPEK, the UPEK logo, Eikon and Protector Suite are registered trademarks or trademarks of UPEK, Inc. in the United States and other countries.