January 7, 2014 – by Peter B. Counter
The Chinese resident identity card is extremely important to life and the prominent Asian country. Citizens use these cards when voting, purchasing real estate and accessing essential government programs. There are already over a billion of these IDs in circulation, and that number is only expected to grow.
In 2012 China introduced the new China Resident Identity Card Law. Under this new rule, Chinese citizens are required to have their fingerprints scanned and recorded as part of any subsequent administrative transaction involving their resident ID cards. This includes applying for, renewing or replacing one of these essential pieces of documentation. As one can imagine, with the sheer quantity of ID cards already in circulation, and the expectation that demand will grow, a high level of certification will be required for the biometric hardware being leveraged in these enrollment operations.
DigitalPersona announced this morning that its TouchChip TCS1 sensor meets these standards, and is being included in fingerprint readers manufactured by Miaxis Biometrics Co., Ltd and Shandong Synthesis Electronic Technology expressly for resident identity card purposes. According to DigitalPersona, the TCS1 is the only silicon sensor used in fingerprint readers certified by the Ministry of Public Security under the technical requirements for the 2012 ID card law.
Speaking to the government’s choice of fingerprint biometrics for the national ID program, DigitalPersona president and CEO Richard Agostinelli remarked, “With such a large population and wide range of applications, fingerprint biometrics is the most logical choice, from both a security and a cost perspective.”
Agostinelli went on to praise the identity card program, calling it impressive and expressing excitement in the inclusion of the TouchChip TCS1.
“Our silicon solutions have been a popular choice for applications where fast capture and excellent biometric performance are top priorities,” he said.
This is not the first application of DigitalPersona’s TouchChip silicon sensors that China has seen. The fingerprint technology is also used in Chinese bank terminals in an initiative to prevent teller fraud. DigitalPersona’s biometric technology is used in banking and identity solutions across the globe. In October, Peter O’Neill had a chance to chat with Richard Agostinelli about the company’s involvement in financial and national ID innovations.
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