TORONTO, ON and IRVINE, CA, May 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/–HID Corporation and Bioscrypt Inc. (TSE: BYT) today jointly unveiled a practical and affordable new solution for access control that combines the high security of biometrics with a new generation of recently announced contactless smart cards from HID called iCLASS.

Bioscrypt, the world’s leading provider of fingerprint-based biometric readers for access control, launched V-Smart iCLASS™, a two-in-one reader solution. The new system combines “bioscrypt on board™”, the company’s brand for its proven fingerprint matching technology, with support for iCLASS contactless smart cards from HID, the global leader in proximity and Wiegand cards and readers. The iCLASS technology, optimized for access control and multiple applications, delivers the security and versatility of smart cards, yet retains the affordability and convenience advantages of proximity cards.

The two leaders cooperated in the development of V-Smart iCLASS to ensure that traditional access control customers can use a superior biometric product that offers one-to-one biometric template authentication and user convenience. These two features support the markets’ requirement for fast throughput and individual privacy. The new smart cards and readers will be available July 2002.

“The market demand for higher security, biometric template storage and more applications on a single credential has increased steadily during the past 12 to 18 months,” said Mark Scaparro, executive vice president of sales and marketing for HID. “Yet until now no one has offered a cost-effective contactless smart card technology optimized for access control iCLASS fills that gap.”

“We specifically designed the technology to make access control more powerful and more secure,” Scaparro continued. “At the same time, we included the features needed to implement other applications that can make the cards more useful. Finally, iCLASS breaks the last barrier to smart card penetration of the access control market–price. For the first time, contactless smart cards are now affordable for access control.”

V-Smart iCLASS

“Smart cards are an ideal complement to fingerprint biometrics, which led us to the decision to introduce the new reader and capitalize on the technology and security advances made by iCLASS,” said Julia Webb, vice president of global marketing and business development for Bioscrypt. “Our fingerprint biometrics in V-Smart iCLASS gives security managers the peace of mind that comes with identifying the individual, not just the card. With ‘bioscrypt on board’ they get what we call one-to-one security: one security credential and only one person who can use it.”

In the new system, fingerprint templates are securely stored on the cards, not in the devices, making iCLASS smart cards portable databases that are well suited for installations spanning multiple sites. Storing the template on the card simplifies system start-up and enables the support of unlimited populations. It also eliminates the redundant wiring requirement for biometric template management, lowering implementation costs significantly.

V-Smart iCLASS has “bioscrypt on board,” the advanced fingerprint matching algorithm proven on over 30,000 installations. It works with the latest in fingerprint sensor technology to provide a highly accurate and reliable solution that performs well even in extremely difficult cases. Designed to plug into existing access control systems, its stylish design is compact and modular. The reader features a double-gang surface mount and provides flexible communication options supporting Wiegand formats up to 64 bits. The convenient VeriAdmin software package provides user-friendly fingerprint template enrollment and administration capabilities.

HID’s iCLASS

iCLASS is a new contactless smart card technology from HID. The company plans to manufacture a range of cards, keys, tags and readers that target access control and other applications.

An important advantage of iCLASS technology compared to other contactless smart cards is a read range of approximately three inches. That performance is comparable to proximity cards for access control, an industry first for smart cards. A longer read range makes it more convenient for users and increases the throughput of the system, because the fingerprint template transfer begins as soon as the card enters the range.

The iCLASS technology brings the power and security of smart cards to access control and offers several unique features that enhance traditional radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. These capabilities work together to reduce the risk of compromised data or duplicated cards and make additional secure applications possible:–Secure reading and writing of data–Cryptographic data storage–Mutual authentication between cards and readers–Secure encryption of all radio frequency data transmission–User definable access keys and optional DES and triple DES encryption

The new technology, developed by the Identification Technology Group (ITG) of HID’s parent company ASSA ABLOY, utilizes advanced semiconductor technology based on the 13.56 MHz frequency and is compliant with the ISO standards for contactless smart cards 15693 and 14443 Types A, B1 and B2. Compliance with ISO standards enables many equipment and application developers to work with this technology to create a broad range of uses for the cards.

All iCLASS credentials will be available in either a 2K bits or 16K bits configuration. The iCLASS Tag will affix to existing cards or devices such as a cellular telephone or PDA to allow users to seamlessly and cost-effectively add contactless smart card technology to existing cards or devices. HID will also offer multi-technology credentials, iCLASS Prox and iCLASS Wiegand, that allow users to carry one card with a photo ID that is compatible with multiple types of readers.

About HID

As interest in PC secure log-on and other smart chip applications increases, HID’s credential remains the platform of choice to carry multiple applications. HID multi-technology credentials can be used throughout organizations to leverage the investment in existing systems, while providing for enhanced functionality in other areas. As the largest manufacturer of contactless access control readers and cards for the security industry, HID has shipped over 125 million credentials to customers worldwide. HID pioneered the development of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for security. Their experience in developing card technologies enables HID to play a critical role in the evolution and adoption of smart card technology. For more information on HID, visit their website at http://www.HIDCorp.com.

About Bioscrypt

Bioscrypt Inc. (TSE: BYT) is a leading provider of advanced fingerprint technology with over 30,000 fingerprint readers currently installed. The company’s solutions combine the convenience of touch with the high security of fingerprint-based biometrics for simple and secure access to facilities, equipment and information. Using the “bioscrypt on board”™ brand, the company offers packaged products, OEM components and software licensing to leading security solution manufacturers and integrators worldwide for physical, wireless and network security applications. Among the many cutting- edge companies and partners using Bioscrypt technology are the U.S. Army, NASA, Continental Airlines, Intel, Atmel, HID Corporation, Honeywell and Northern Computers. Bioscrypt’s patented technology is interoperable with leading fingerprint sensors and is both platform and operating system independent. Bioscrypt is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BYT. For more information, visit the Bioscrypt Web site at http://www.bioscrypt.com.

Forward-looking (safe harbour) statement

Statements made in this news release that relate to future plans, events or performances are forward-looking statements. Any statement containing words such as “believes”, “plans”, “expects” or “intends” and other statements which are not historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking, and these statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations. Consequently, actual results could differ materially from the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements.

Bioscrypt Inc., Bioscrypt, V-Smart iCLASS and bioscrypt on board are trademarks of Bioscrypt Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks referenced herein are properties of their respective owners.