(Image: Fingerprint Card Video Capture)

FPC's fingerprint sensor and PB's fingerprint software
Demonstration of a smart watch featuring ST's secure NFC solution and a low-power microcontroller Gemalto, Fingerprint Cards (FPC), Precise Biometrics (PB), and STMicroelectronics (ST) are unveiling an end-to-end security architecture for biometric fingerprint authentication for the first time at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016.

This provides OEMs with the opportunity to easily implement convenient security features for consumers in the latest generation of wearable and consumer electronic devices. This new verification concept replaces existing username/password authentication methods in applications such as payment, electronic ticketing, digital access, and strong 2-factor authentication with fast and secure fingerprint recognition.

This groundbreaking solution, realized through this joint development, is set to be demonstrated through a smartwatch incorporating FPC's fingerprint sensor, PB's fingerprint software, ST's secure NFC solution, and a low-power microcontroller.

Gemalto provides UpTeq eSE, where user credentials are stored, and a Match-On-Card (MOC) application that verifies whether a fingerprint on a sensor corresponds to user biometric data. Gemalto also supplies the Allynis Trusted Services Hub, which manages solutions throughout the product lifecycle, and various security applications.

FPC provides advanced touch fingerprint sensors with very low power consumption and a small form factor.

PB supplies fingerprint software based on PBE (Precise BioMatch Embedded), an industry-leading algorithm solution that provides convenient and secure fingerprint recognition for products equipped with small fingerprint sensors on limited platforms such as smart cards, wearables, automobiles, locks, and personal ID tokens.

ST offers its ST54 System-In-Package (SIP) solution, which consists of the ST21NFC NFC (Near Field Communication) controller and the ST33 embedded Secure Element (eSE) based on the 32-bit ARM® SecurCore® SC300, and is equipped with Gemalto’s biometric MOC. It also provides an STM32 ARM Cortex®-M-based low-power microcontroller to manage this application.

With this new architecture, end users do not need to remember complex combinations of multiple usernames and passwords when accessing essential applications such as payments, secure email, and government ID programs. This solution not only provides new opportunities for the consumer electronics market using security authentication solutions based on FIDO Alliance specifications, but also enables consumer electronics manufacturers to offer options that differentiate them from competitors. Biometric fingerprint authentication, which is more convenient for users without compromising security performance, is heralding a new paradigm shift in fields such as mobile security connectivity, payments, and e-government services (eCitizen).