Zwipe selects Fingerprint Cards’ T-Shape sensor for biometric cards

Zwipe has selected Fingerprint Cards’ T-Shape sensor for its latest generation biometric card based on the sensor’s performance and scalability in mass volume production.

“We have a long-standing partnership with Fingerprint Cards and have chosen the T-Shape sensor because it gives our solution the quickest route to market, helping Zwipe offer a mass-market ready solution while leveraging our strong position in the value chain as evidenced by our patent portfolio,” explained André Løvestam, CEO of Zwipe.

The biometric technology company notes that the selection highlights Zwipe’s first patent which describes a ‘post-placement’ method of manufacturing a biometric card that enables industrialized manufacturing techniques such as hot lamination of plastic cards without damaging the biometric sensor. FPC’s T-Shape sensor, which was launched in 2017, is designed to utilize this post-placement production method.

The patent, which has been granted by the European Patent Office, as well as in the United States, China, South Korea and Australia, was challenged in the EPO by multiple industrial groups and is currently in an appeal process which Zwipe says is expected to take two years or more to finalize. During this period the rights granted under the EPO patent are upheld for the patent holder until a final decision is rendered.

Fingerprint Cards’ T-Shape module has been selected for integration in a number of biometric card solutions including those from IDEMIA and Gemalto.

With the race on to bring biometric payment cards to the mass market, exactly when that may happen, and who will take what share in the market, is an open question.

On January 28 this year, Zwipe shares started trading on Oslo Stock Exchange’s Merkur Market under the ticker symbol ZWIPE-ME following a NOK 120 million (USD $14 million) capital raise to strengthen the company’s financial position and fund the further development and commercialization of its technology.

Article Topics

biometric cards  |  biometrics  |  Fingerprint Cards  |  fingerprint sensors  |  Zwipe