Zwipe, Idex deals expand biometric access control card market reach

Two of Norway’s biometrics providers have secured significant new deals tied to the identity card market.

A press release says that Zwipe has partnered with SCAP, a distributor of access control cards and readers in France, to offer Zwipe’s biometric ID card technology to the French market. The Oslo-headquartered biometrics firm recently pivoted to center its business on access control, and the deal with SCAP opens paths to a customer base spanning the French security sector, which includes physical and logical access system manufacturers, installers and integrators, and corporate partners in various connected industries such as travel, health care and critical infrastructure.

Zwipe’s model, described in the release as “biometric system-on-card,” securely stores a cardholder’s encrypted fingerprint template directly in the card’s smart chip from the time of issue. The aim is to enable quick, secure and cost-effective deployment of biometric verification for customers in the security industries and beyond.

Robert Puskaric, President and CEO of Zwipe, says the company is “happy to partner with SCAP, a leading advanced security solution distributor,” and looks forward to “developing and strengthening the relationship with the French security market thanks to our local expertise and support.” In turn, SCAP President Pierre Yves Dudal says “the biometric card provided by Zwipe brings breakthrough ID card technologies to existing identification systems for the next generation of physical and logical access.”

SCAP has already placed its first purchase order with Zwipe and launched the first Zwipe access starter pack in French.

Also in Oslo, Idex Biometrics has received a production order from Chicago’s Sentry Enterprises, to support scaling of Sentry’s biometric card product line. A release says the order will be delivered over three quarters, for integration into Sentry’s decentralized authentication system with mobile and card to provide both physical and digital access.

“Sentry is solving for today’s identity challenges and the Web3 future and we are thrilled that IDEX Biometrics supports the SentryCard and Sentinel Wallet market expansion,” says Vince Graziani, CEO of Idex Biometrics. “This order confirms market momentum for decentralized biometric identification and new access management solutions in the U.S.A.”

Idex Biometrics also recently declared a pivot, switching its focus from biometric components to integrated access and payment systems.

Sentry launches battery-free biometric multifunction card

Sentry’s expansion also includes its latest advancement: the Batteryless SentryCard. A press release says the card is equipped with FIDO2 CTAP 2.1, an Infineon CC EAL6+ Secure Element, user-friendly mobile enrollment and more. Unsurprisingly, the card features an Idex ultra-thin flexible sensor, according to the product sheet, as well as a secure element supplied by Infineon.

The new card’s batteryless technology allows it to be durable, thin and flexible, manufactured to ISO specifications. And its open architecture integrates with all major access control systems and reader variants to upgrade any standard reader to biometric security.

“We’re not merely innovating; we’re spearheading true technological disruption in security credentials,” says Joseph Hayes, Chief Product Officer at Sentry Enterprises. “In our transition to a batteryless design, we’ve streamlined production, consistently driving down costs. These pioneering advancements distinguish SentryCard as unrivaled in the market.”

Article Topics

access control  |  biometric cards  |  biometrics  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  Idex Biometrics  |  Infineon  |  Sentry Enterprises  |  SentryCard  |  Zwipe  |  Zwipe Access