BIO-key(R) Launches Compact USB Fingerprint Reader for Enterprise and Consumer Use

SideSwipe(R) Mini-Reader Enters Market as an Affordable Identification Solution Bringing BIO-key Technology to the Masses

Wall, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2014 / BIO-key International, Inc. (BKYI), a leader in fingerprint biometric identification technologies, cloud-based mobile credentialing and identity verification solutions, today reported the company is introducing a revolutionary compact fingerprint reader. SideSwipe offers an unprecedented combination of quality and affordability for mainstream deployment of fingerprint technology to mass markets. SideSwipe's innovative design incorporates a high-quality fingerprint scanner into an ergonomic, cable-free design for USB-equipped tablets, laptops and other mobile form factors; allowing on-the-go enrollment and identification on the device or to the cloud.

SideSwipe(R) Mini Fingerprint Reader

At a single unit price of $34.99 SideSwipe meets the industry's need for a low-cost, compact, high-quality USB fingerprint scanner that enterprise customers can leverage for large-scale consumer use. The need for convenient strong authentication is at unprecedented levels; yet most 2 factor solutions add too much friction to the authentication process, at the cost of being secure, negatively impacting utilization. While BIO-key has operated primarily as a software development company through its 21 year history, we recognize that customers need a complete solution, at a competitive price to deploy strong authentication for millions of end users. Consumer endpoints must be enabled with fingerprint scanners and SideSwipe is the perfect product, at the perfect time, to make that economically feasible. SideSwipe's form factor is tiny and unobtrusive. Plugged-in, the dimensions are 0.75"L x 0.6"W x 0.5" H, and the device can remain attached to laptops and tablets if the need requires. SideSwipe will be available to enterprise customers both directly from BIO-key and through select distribution partners in North and South America.

The SideSwipe compact fingerprint reader will join other low cost, high quality BIO-key swipe devices and area scanners, including the latest generation sensor from NEXT Biometrics. all being introduced for desktop use to enable a variety of endpoint form factor options.

Security analysts from Gartner and Goode Intelligence are forecasting a rapid increase in the utilization of biometric technology in both the commercial and consumer sectors in the next 2 years. Ongoing security challenges such as data breaches, remote access compromises and identity theft continue to act as drivers for the adoption of biometrics as a security solution. By reducing the cost of high-quality hardware, BIO-key is opening the door for broader adoption of fingerprint biometric authentication.

"This is a significant announcement for BIO-key and for our industry," stated Mike DePasquale, Chairman and CEO, BIO-key International. "The SideSwipe scanner sets new benchmarks for price point, size and product quality. We all understand that the future for biometric technology is bright, but the market needs a catalyst to expedite adoption. Paired with our WEB-key solution, any enterprise can deploy a market competitive, cost effective and highly secure biometric authentication option to eliminate passwords or tokens. Additionally, for our larger enterprise and OEM customers, SideSwipe offers a unique branding opportunity. The case of the SideSwipe reader can easily be branded with a company logo / icon and then offered to customers as an additional layer of security or as part of a loyalty program. We anticipate that our existing customers will immediately want to take advantage of the benefits of SideSwipe and we believe that our pipeline of prospects will also see the potential of groundbreaking new product," added DePasquale.

About BIO-key

BIO-key International, Inc., headquartered in Wall, New Jersey, develops and delivers advanced identification solutions to commercial and government enterprises, integrators, and custom application developers. BIO-key's award winning, high performance, scalable, cost-effective and easy-to-deploy biometric finger identification technology accurately identifies and authenticates users of wireless and enterprise applications. Our solutions are used in local embedded OEM products as well as some of the world's largest identification deployments to improve security, guarantee identity, and help reduce identity theft. BIO-key's technology is offered directly or by market leading partners around the world. (http://www.bio-key.com)

BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release and in other public statements by the Company and Company officers include or may contain certain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "will," "may," "future," "plan," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot be sure that they will be achieved. Particular uncertainties that could cause our actual results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements include: our history of losses and limited revenue; our ability to raise additional capital; our ability to protect our intellectual property; changes in business conditions; changes in our sales strategy and product development plans; changes in the marketplace; continued services of our executive management team; security breaches; competition between us and other companies in the biometric technology industry; market acceptance of biometric products generally and our products under development; delays in the development of products and statements of assumption underlying any of the foregoing, as well as other factors set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor & Press contact:
Jay Meier
VP Corporate Development
jay.meier@bio-key.com
651-789-6116

SOURCE: BIO-key International, Inc