NEC Shows Off World's First Contactless Hybrid Fingerprint/finger Vein Scanner

Years ago I had a notebook that used a fingerprint scanner to log me into the machine rather than having to type. The problem was that the swipe never grabbed the fingerprint the first time out and I always ended up having to swipe repeatedly until I gave up and typed my password. Fingerprint scanners have come a long way since those early offerings and one of the more interesting new fingerprint scanners is the HS100-10.

The scanner is a hybrid because it able to scan fingerprints and finger vein characteristics at the same time without contact with the sensor. The first shipments of the new scanner are set to start in May. By grabbing fingerprint and finger vein information at one time, the sensor is very difficult to fool.

The fact that the sensor doesn't have to contact the finger means that it will be accurate even if the user's hands are very wet or dry. NEC says that the sensor works with major software on the market like IBM Tivoli Access manager and Novel SecureLogin.