Source: Validity
Partnership developed to offer notebook manufacturers with a convenient solution to incorporate secure and durable fingerprint sensing in their notebook designs
San Jose, California, August 28, 2006 - Validity Sensors, Inc., a privately held biometric company specializing in high quality durable fingerprint sensors, today announced a mutually exclusive partnership with Synaptics, a leading developer of interface solutions for mobile computing, communications and entertainment devices. The partnership was forged to design, develop, manufacture, and distribute a line of biometrically enabled interface solutions, coined SecurePadTM for the notebook market. Validity and Synaptics share a common goal to make integration and customization easy for manufacturers and to provide a durable solution for convenient security to end users.
Based on the superior design of the LiveFlexTM sensor, Synaptics selected Validity as its exclusive provider of fingerprint sensors. Recognizing the strength of Synaptics' position as the industry leading provider of touchpad interface solutions, Validity has made Synaptics its exclusive partner in the notebook market. The agreement allows the two companies to jointly execute on a strategic roadmap leading the notebook industry into a new era of convenient security.
"Biometrics is becoming a mainstream option in the notebook market," said Jeff Andersen, Vice President of Sales at Validity Sensors. "With this agreement, Validity has the opportunity to penetrate this market working with the leading interface solutions provider."
The SecurePad solution announced earlier by Synaptics integrates Validity's LiveFlex fingerprint sensor with a Synaptics TouchPad. The resultant combination module simplifies integration and allows manufacturers to easily offer fingerprint security as a build-to-order option.
Validity's line of durable LiveFlex fingerprint sensors eliminates the need to remember multiple usernames and passwords by allowing users to simply swipe their finger over a durable and familiar touchpad-like plastic surface. The LiveFlex sensor overcomes the concerns associated with traditional silicon fingerprint sensors by protecting the silicon from the user. The only exposed area is the durable surface of the Validity sensor providing superior resistance to ESD, harsh chemicals, abrasion, and impact, all of which are critical factors for notebook use in real world environments.
"Synaptics is very pleased to partner with Validity to offer our customers a robust, reliable and accurate integrated biometric-enabled interface solution," said Tom Tiernan, General Manager of Synaptics. "We feel this partnership allows Synaptics to continue to extend our leadership role in the notebook market, providing innovative interface solutions that meet the needs of our mobile computing customers."
The agreement outlines multiple phases of increasing interaction between Validity and Synaptics at a time when notebooks are becoming the preferred computing device and when the demand for biometrics is ramping from infancy.
"The quality of the total solution is key to end user adaptation and continued growth of the biometrics industry," explained Jalil Shaikh, CEO of Validity Sensors. "This partnership provides testimony to Validity's mission to develop best-in-class fingerprint sensors and to partner with world class companies like Synaptics to offer total leading-edge solutions for end users".
For more information about Synaptics SecurePad interface solution and Validity's LiveFlex technology, visit: www.synaptics.com or www.validityinc.com.
About Validity Sensors, Inc.
Headquartered in San Jose, California, Validity Sensors, Inc. develops the world's most durable, flexible and highest performing biometric fingerprint sensor for communication and information devices for PC, Mobile, Portable Media and Access Control markets.
Validity's biometric security products enable a wide range of convenient features including password replacement, identity verification, centralized management for corporate network security, secure wireless transactions, protection of portable data, and physical access control.
About Synaptics Incorporated
Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA) is a leading developer of interface solutions for the mobile computing, communications and entertainment industries. The company creates interface solutions for a variety of devices including notebook PCs, PC peripherals, digital music players, and mobile phones. The TouchPadTM, Synaptics' flagship product, is integrated into more than 50 percent of today's notebook computers. Consumer electronics and computing manufacturers use Synaptics' solutions to enrich the interaction between humans and intelligent devices through improved usability, functionality and industrial design. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California. www.synaptics.com
Validity, Validity Sensors, Inc., the Validity logo, and LiveFlex are trademarks of Validity in the United States and/or other countries.
Synaptics, the Synaptics logo, and SecurePad are trademarks of Synaptics in the United States and/or other countries.
All other marks are the property of their respective owners. © 2006 Validity Sensors, Inc.
Contacts
Validity Sensors Inc.
Paul Erhart
480-385-3168
paul.erhart@validityinc.com
Synaptics
Michael Diamond
Edelman
650-762-2959
michael.diamond@edelman.com