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Friday, January 10, 2003 BioAPI Consortium Releases for Testing Beta Version of the BioAPI Linux/Unix Reference Implementation Software GAITHERSBURG,
Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 2003--The BioAPI
Consortium today announced the release of the beta
version of the BioAPI Linux(TM)/Unix(TM) (Solaris(TM))
version. Once tested by the BioAPI members, and others
upon request, the new Linux/Unix Reference
Implementation software will be released to the general
public. This harmonized version of the Reference
Implementation is the result of efforts undertaken by
two BioAPI supporters, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), an independent agency
of the US Department of Commerce, and the International
Biometric Group (IBG), a biometric consulting and
technology services firm. This
effort entailed "porting" the existing
Windows(TM) (Win32(TM)) implementation to execute on
either Linux(TM) or Sun Solaris(TM) platforms,
broadening the available applications and environments
for standards-based biometric systems. The configuration
included in the Reference Implementation software can
handle multiple "flavors" of Unix (currently
configurable for Linux and Solaris), and is easily
adaptable to handle other Unix systems such as BSD(TM),
HPUX(TM), or AIX(TM) in the future. The Reference
Implementation is the software instantiation of the
BioAPI framework. As an "open systems"
specification, the BioAPI is intended for use across a
broad spectrum of computing environments to insure
cross-platform support. The
BioAPI Specification defines an open system standard
application program interface (API) that allows software
applications to communicate with a broad range of
biometric technologies in a common way. Version 1.1 of
the BioAPI Specification and the associated Win32
Reference Implementation software were released in March
2001 and are both freely available for download from the
BioAPI Consortium's website (http://www.bioapi.org). The
Win32 Reference Implementation is available royalty-free
as open source software, as will be the Linux/Unix
version once publicly released. "The
BioAPI Steering Committee is very pleased with the
Information Technology Laboratory of NIST and the
International Biometric Group for having undertaken this
software development effort. The release for testing of
this beta version of the BioAPI Linux/Unix Reference
Implementation software is a crucial milestone in the
history of BioAPI," said Cathy Tilton of SAFLINK
Corporation, who chairs the BioAPI Consortium. "One
of the main strengths of the BioAPI Specification is
that it is an open, platform independent standard. The
availability of the BioAPI for Linux and Unix platforms
as well as the availability of the previous Win32
version of the Reference Implementation proves this and
will greatly affect the availability of biometric
solutions for heterogeneous systems," concluded
Tilton. Biometric
technologies automatically identify or verify the
identity of a person through measurable physical or
behavioral characteristics, such as fingerprint, voice
or iris recognition. The BioAPI Specification defines an
open system standard application program interface (API)
that allows software applications to communicate with a
broad range of biometric technologies in a common way.
The BioAPI specification is the result of several years
of collaborative effort between the biometrics industry,
government, and major information technology vendors.
The 100+ members comprising the BioAPI Consortium cover
a broad cross section of biometric technology
manufacturers, integrators, original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs), and end users from around the
world. In direct support of Homeland Security
legislation, the InterNational Committee for Information
Technology Standards (INCITS) fast-tracked the BioAPI
specification to have it become an American National
Standard, ANSI/INCITS 358. The American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) approved BioAPI as an
official ANSI standard on February 13, 2002. BioAPI was
also recently submitted by the US as a candidate for
further standardization as an international standard
through ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1 Subcommittee
37 - Biometrics (JTC 1 SC 37). The
BioAPI supports a wide range of biometric technologies,
including fingerprint imaging, speaker verification,
facial recognition, iris scanning, dynamic signature,
and hand geometry. It is designed for use in a broad
array of applications, extending from embedded devices
(such as cell phones) to large-scale identification
systems (such as national ID systems), as well as user
authentication applications associated with computer and
network access. BioAPI is compatible with the Common
Biometric Exchange File Format (CBEFF), NIST Publication
NISTIR 6529 which defines a single approach for a
biometric data structure to assure biometrics companies
and their potential customers that different biometric
devices and applications can exchange information
efficiently, and the ANSI X9.84 standard, Biometric
Management and Security for the Financial Services
Industry(c). About
BioAPI The
BioAPI Consortium was formed to develop a widely
available and widely accepted Application Programming
Interface to serve any type of biometric technology.
Additional information about the BioAPI Consortium and
the BioAPI Specification can be found at www.bioapi.org. About
NIST As
a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of
Commerce's Technology Administration, NIST develops and
promotes measurements, standards, and technology to
enhance productivity, facilitate trade, and improve the
quality of life. Their website is http://www.nist.gov. About
IBG International
Biometric Group is a leading biometric integration and
consulting firm, addressing the identification and
authentication needs of mid-to-large-size organizations
since 1996. IBG works on behalf of both private and
government clients to evaluate, design, and integrate
biometric solutions for public sector programs, network
security, point-of-sale applications, Internet
applications, physical access and time-and-attendance
systems. Their website is http://www.biometricgroup.com. About
INCITS The
InterNational Committee for Information Technology
Standards (INCITS) is the venue of choice for
information technology developers, producers and users
for the creation and maintenance of formal IT standards.
INCITS is accredited by, and operates under rules
approved by, the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI). These rules are designed to ensure that
voluntary standards are developed by the consensus of
directly and materially affected interests. Contact:
INCITS Secretariat, Information Technology Industry
Council (ITIC), 1250 Eye St. NW, Suite 200, Washington,
DC 20005 (www.incits.org). BioAPI(TM)
is a registered trademark of the BioAPI Consortium. All
other brands and products referenced herein are
acknowledged to be trademarks or registered trademarks
of their respective holders. CONTACT: SOURCE:
SAFLINK Corporation |
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