NEXT Biometrics, Innolux to mass produce flexible fingerprint sensors
NEXT Biometrics has launched operations of the world’s first volume production line to mass produce production-ready flexible fingerprint sensors with its production partner Innolux in Taiwan.
With this latest development, NEXT Biometrics reaches the milestone capability it previously forecast to achieve during the first half of 2017.
NEXT said the company has worked extensively with production partner Innolux through 2016 and 2017 to achieve the target.
“We are not aware of any other fingerprint supplier able to mass produce flexible sensors,” NEXT CEO Ritu Favre said. “This is not a trivial achievement. We have converted a truly innovative idea from the prototype level to the volume mass production level, and achieved this in a field where others have yet to succeed. The smart card market represents endless opportunities and with a mass production line in place, we look forward to extend our discussions and negotiations with potential clients.”
The tools funded by NEXT for the production process have been installed and operate according to specifications.
Additionally, Innolux has qualified the materials and NEXT is partnering with customers on smart card projects.
Chin-Lung Ting, Taiwan executive vice president and head of technology development center at Innolux, discussed the new mass production line at a presentation for shareholders at Innolux.
“Thermal sensing technology from NEXT is now successfully applied on flexible panel with satisfactory quality. Innolux was impressed by the active thermal fingerprint sensing technology of NEXT Biometrics with its large screen area, high accuracy and compatibility with both hard glass and flexible panel,” Ting said. “It is the best solution to the information security concern of the smart card market. G3.5 fab at Jhunan will be extended for the mass production of flexible panels. NEXT’s flexible panels will become the cash cow of Innolux.”
Innolux and NEXT Biometrics co-invest in technology and capacity development to increase the integration of fingerprint sensors into credit cards, electronic payments, mobile phones, and notebook computers to provide effective global information security.
Previously reported, NEXT Biometrics shipped its two millionth fingerprint sensor in April, proving its ability to consistently mass produce fingerprint sensors with industry normal yield figures.
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