Leader in Fingerprint-Recognition Technology Awards $100,000 in Software to Information Systems Department at Cal State Long Beach

SecuGen Corp., a global leader in the development of fingerprint-recognition technology, has awarded $100,000 in software to the Information Systems Department in the College of Business Administration at California State University, Long Beach.

The gift, which provides SecuGen's new SecuIBAS server with a permanent license for 1,000 users and SecuDesktop 2000, will be used to support the development of biometrics and laboratory applications.

Biometrics is the measurement of an individual's unique physical or behavioral characteristics, such as a fingerprint. SecuGen's fingerprint recognition devices are integrated into such computer peripherals as SecuGen Hamsterä, SecuGen Mouseä and SecuGen Keyboardä. These devices rely on a characteristic of each individual-in this case a fingerprint-that acts like a digital password that cannot be stolen or forgotten.

SecuGen's biometric technology comprises the fingerprint sensors, data extraction and algorithms to process the fingerprint images and software to drive the sensors.

"My goal is to set up the biometrics lab and then establish a course on network security," said Robert Chi, professor of information systems. "The main challenge for future e-commerce application is security.

"Some people are afraid to apply business transactions using e-commerce technologies mainly due to security concerns," he explained. "With biometrics authentication systems, you can overcome those problems. Also, since the attacks on Sept. 11, there is recognition of how important this technology is to resolve security issues such as authenticating employees or verifying passengers at airports."

A pioneer of the biometric industry, SecuGen Corp. designs, manufactures and markets its award-winning optical fingerprint recognition technology worldwide. SecuGen's products have been integrated into a broad range of applications including Internet, network and desktop security, physical access control and other electronic products.