Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
March 24, 2009
Paris, March 24, 2009 - Sagem Sécurité (SAFRAN Group), the world leader in biometrics, is partnering with Hitachi, an engineering and information technology giant, to develop a multimode biometric recognition module. Developed and produced by Sagem Sécurité, this module will combine the best of Hitachi's vein imaging technology (VeinID) and Sagem Sécurité's fingerprint identification technology (Morpho).
The complementary nature of these two identification methods - recognition of the pattern of minute blood vessels under the skin, and simultaneously processing of fingerprint data - means that the module developed by Sagem Sécurité will offer levels of security and accuracy unrivaled worldwide. Designed to be easily integrated in any type of identification system, this module will meet requirements for a wide range of applications, including access control, identity checks and secure payments.
"By combining vein recognition with fingerprint analysis in a single, innovative module, we will be able to offer biometric equipment that boasts unrivaled security performance." said Jean-Paul Jainsky, Chairman and CEO of Sagem Sécurité. "Working with Hitachi as our partner also gives us the opportunity to develop our presence in the Asian biometric market."
"Our finger vein recognition is already widely used by Japanese banks to give customers easy, secure access to thousands of ATM machines," said Hideyuki Ariyasu, Managing Director of Hitachi Europe. "Combining this highly secure imaging technology with the world-class expertise of Sagem Sécurité, a leader in the security solutions market, provides an exciting opportunity to set a new authentication technology standard for goods and - even more importantly - to protect people's identities."
Through this project, Sagem Sécurité continues to expand its portfolio of technologies, and once again demonstrates its commitment to investing in innovative, forward-looking security solutions.
Sagem Sécurité is a high-technology company in the SAFRAN Group. One of the world's leading suppliers of identity systems, Sagem Sécurité focuses on applications including personal rights and flow management, in particular based on biometrics, a sector in which it is the world leader, secure terminals and smart cards. Its integrated systems and equipment are deployed worldwide and contribute to the safety and security of transportation, data, people and states. Sagem Sécurité is present on all continents. For more information: www.sagem-securite.com, www.safran-group.com
Hitachi Europe Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., Japan. Headquartered in Maidenhead, UK, it has operations in 16 countries and employs over 5,400 people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a "Best Solutions Partner", Hitachi Europe tailors its services and solutions to meet the specific needs of its customers. Hitachi Europe comprises eleven key business areas: Rail systems, power and industrial systems; information systems; high performance computing; digital media, consumer products; automotive; air-conditioning and refrigeration systems; procurement and sourcing; and corporate technology group (research & development) and the Hitachi Design Centre. For more information about Hitachi Europe Ltd., please visit http://www.hitachi.eu.
Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 390,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2007 (ended March 31, 2008) consolidated revenues totaled 11,226 billion yen ($112.3 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials, logistics and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.
