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Biometric Watch
By Dave Mintie
May 2005
Reprinted with permission
Digital Defense Group has developed a completely self-contained, wireless, biometric security device that grants secure building and computer access through the use of a fingerprint, without compromising a user's biometric privacy during enrollment or authentication. Digital Defense(TM) demonstrated their new devices, called the Factor4(TM) and IronGate biocard, at the 2005 CTST Conference last month.
 Factor4 biocard takes the form of a credit card. It features a self-enrollment process whereby a user's unique biometric signature is generated based upon minutiae points of the fingerprint itself. This patent-pending technology eliminates the need for a centralized database or external software, thus providing a high level of authentication and biometric privacy.
Digital Defense began research and product development of a wireless, self-enrolling biocard in 2001. More secure than passwords or PIN numbers, this self-enrolling, self-contained biocard requires no external hardware or software, protecting a user's privacy at all times.
To enroll, cardholders simply register their fingerprints by waving the card over an access plate and placing one or more fingers on the card's scan engine. Each finger is enrolled three times. A LED on the card will flash green for the finger's initial scan, then amber for the second scan, then red for the final scan and then back to green. At the end of the final fingerprint enrollment, the LED turns solid green, indicating to the user his/her fingerprint is captured and the enrollment process is compete.
Once the card is registered, only then can a 1:1 authentication take place through the wireless transmission of a multi-frequency band sending only the digital certificate. Because of this 1:1 authentication, the card is useless if lost or stolen and the biometric template cannot be breached.  Both the Factor4 and IronGate biocards are interoperable and compatible with Weigand 125 KHz interfaces and the newer 13.56 MHz, supporting the 14443 Type "A" parts 2, 3, and 4, as well as the newer PayPass ISO/TEC 14443 contactless payment card system adopted by MasterCard and Visa. Both cards are multifunctional, meaning they can be used for both building and computer access.
Factor4 biocard and a second Digital Defense Group biocard, dubbed IronGate, are battery powered. They can be recharged wirelessly using a small black box that can double as a wireless interface to a personal computer. By placing a finger on the biometric engine, the user can log onto his or her computer using the biocard.
IronGate is identical to Factor4, but provides an additional transmitter for an added range of up to three meters with a proprietary dual band RF tunnel, making it ideal for garage or gate access and other long-range transmissions. IronGate is scheduled to be released later this year.
This article appeared in the May 2005 issue of Biometric Watch http://www.biometricwatch.com/
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