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The European Union-wide biometric database EURODAC continues to ensure effective management of the Common European Asylum System The third annual report on the activities of EURODAC was published today by the Commission. The report gives essential information on patterns of asylum seeking and illegal entry in the EU and shows that 16% of all applications in 2005 were ‘multiple applications’ – asylum claims where the same person has already made an application in the same country or in another Member State.Part of the European Union’s Common European Asylum System, EURODAC is an EU-wide fingerprint database for the comparison of the fingerprints of asylum seekers and illegal entrants, to help determine which Member State should examine an asylum application.

Vice-President Franco Frattini, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security highlighted that “without this Community-wide information technology, identifying aliens who had already lodged an asylum application in another Member State would be difficult, if not impossible. EURODAC is a fundamental tool to establish an efficient Common European Asylum System.

In 2005, EURODAC processed 187.223 sets of fingerprints of asylum seekers, 25.162 sets of fingerprints of people crossing the borders irregularly and 46.299 sets of fingerprints of people apprehended while illegally staying on the territory of a Member State.

Figures show that in 2005, the number of asylum applications decreased while the number of registered irregular entrants increased significantly. The report reveals that in 16% of the total number of cases, the same person had already made at least one asylum application in the same country or in another Member State (known as a multiple application). In some cases, several applications had been made across several EU Member States by the same person.

The EURODAC Central Unit which manages the central system was operational for 99.9% of the reporting period, operating 24/24 hours and 7/7 days.

The Commission will shortly issue a report on the evaluation of the Dublin system, which legally determines which Member State is responsible for the examination of an asylum application and makes arrangements for their return there, and of which EURODAC forms an essential part.

The Report is available here.

Neurotechnologija, a provider of high-precision biometric identification technologies, today announced the availability of VeriFinger 5.0 Software Development Kit (SDK), the first major fingerprint identification SDK to add support for the Mac OSX platform to existing cross-platform support for Microsoft Windows and Linux. VeriFinger 5.0 provides both 1:1 verification and 1:many matching modes with significantly enhanced fingerprint recognition reliability and fast identification speeds of up to 40,000 fingerprints per second. The VeriFinger algorithm is currently used by more than 1000 biometric system developers, integrators and hardware manufacturers in more than 60 countries worldwide, and it can be integrated with any scanner, database or user interface, providing easy integration with existing security systems.”Biometric identification has become one of the most critical security applications for businesses and governments worldwide, and we believe VeriFinger 5.0 SDK meets that important challenge with our most powerful technology to date,” said Algimantas Malickas, CEO of Neurotechnologija. “Ninety percent of our development efforts for this version focused on further enhancing reliability. With the enhanced reliability, matching speeds and multi-platform capabilities of VeriFinger 5.0, customers can implement more extensive fingerprint identification systems in a broad range of environments, including Macintosh-based products as well as mixed embedded-PC systems,” Malickas added.

The VeriFinger fingerprint identification algorithm has been proven to be one of the fastest and most reliable among competing identification algorithms in some of the industry’s most rigorous competitions, including the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)’s Fingerprint Vendor Technology Evaluation (FpVTE) and the International Fingerprint Verification Competitions (FVC). Designed for use in a wide range of capacities, including access control, computer security, time/attendance control and banking applications among others, VeriFinger 5.0 SDK enables the rapid development and integration of biometric applications by giving integrators complete control over the SDK data input and output.

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avenport Sales International launches www.BioVaultSafe.net and now offers direct to consumer the BioVault 2.0, the best solution when access control is your first concern. Developed by Sequiam Biometrics, Inc., a provider of biometric technology and services developed its patented biometric technology to read and match fingerprints with unmatched speed and precision accuracy.

The BioVault 2.0 holds hand guns, ammo, jewelry, coins, cash, important documents, adult personal items, keys, medications/drugs.
Biometric devices are set to become an integral part of everyday life. No more codes, combinations, or sequences to remember or keys to lose. A simple touch of a finger is all it takes, eliminating the possibility of entry by unauthorized users.

“We are absolutely delighted with the BioVaults 2.0’s design, functionality and reliability. It is an incredible product. We expect a significant demand for use in many industries including firearms, jewelry, collectibles, government, custom and luxury automotive, aviation and marine,” said Keith Miller, President of Davenport Sales International, LLC.

BioVault 2.0 is the culmination of over 20 years of biometric development. It is a state of the art safety storage device made specifically for consumer and small business use. Portable and mountable, BioVault 2.0 has quick release features for convenient use between home, office, car, boat and plane.

BioVault 2.0 provides affordable safe storage for money, documents, jewelry, medications, handguns, ammunition and personal items. Easily programmable, BioVault 2.0 can store numerous authorized fingerprints. Only you decide who gains access. There is no external computer and stored fingerprints are retained in the event of a power failure or battery drain through Flash Memory.

View Systems Inc., a leading homeland defense solutions provider, announced today that purchase orders for SecureScan units with biometric and positive ID scanning capabilities have been received from the D.C. Department of Corrections.

View Systems executive, Charles Nelson, stated, “The Washington, D.C. Department of Corrections, under the leadership of Director Devon Brown, will be the first prison system to integrate security screening, biometric and state-issued identification recognition. We are exceedingly pleased that the prison systems in New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado and Washington, D.C. have selected the SecureScan time and time again.”

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, the SecureScan’s non-contact imaging capabilities reduce the need for wanding and pat-down searches. While ignoring common items like coins, watches and jewelry, the SecureScan is sensitive enough to locate hidden razor blades and cell phones on its video image. The SecureScan’s open system architecture allows its data and video to be monitored and controlled remotely.

Biometric technology is experiencing explosive growth across the country. The Biometrics Technology Consortium Conference and Expo sponsored by NIST and NSA will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center Sept. 19-21. The SecureScan’s biometric, positive ID system compares fingerprint and drivers license identification against facial recognition, and has the option of checking against a wanted/outstanding warrant database. This combination of positive ID systems is fast becoming an integral tool in public safety screening. It is invaluable when a facility can quickly and accurately identify an individual.

Gunther Than, CEO of View Systems, stated, “This multi-unit purchase order represents the new trend for security in correctional facilities nationwide. The integration of positive biometric ID recognition is critical for visitor, inmate and officer safety enhancement. The D.C. Department of Corrections will be able to screen and view who is visiting whom, and what other facilities they have visited before. With this electronic database of who’s visiting whom, the Department of Justice has a greater ability to investigate, gather evidence and indict, as well as to deter internal inmate gang violence. There are tens of thousands of prisons, jails, probation offices and detention centers in the United States. These facilities represent a multi-billion dollar market.”

SafeNet, setting the standard for information security, today announced that Tim Russell, Vice President of Government Solutions, SafeNet, will join Precise Biometrics in their booth (number 207) at the 2006 Biometric Technology Expo at Baltimore’s Convention Center on September 20 at 11 a.m. to discuss the companies’ joint efforts with government agencies and with the HSPD-12 Interoperability Consortium.

During Mr. Russell’s 30-minute session, Precise Biometrics will demonstrate its PKI/BLADE (Biometric Logical Access Development and Execution) system, a biometric log-in solution that uses SafeNet’s Smartcard 400 product and middleware and is currently used by government agencies. Mr. Russell will be available to answer questions on all of the programs, integration and technology on which SafeNet and Precise Biometrics have partnered. The session is open to members of the media, as well as customers, partners and all interested parties at the Biometric Technology Expo.

“I appreciate the opportunity to showcase SafeNet’s work with Precise Biometrics,” Mr. Russell said. “Our teams have combined to produce interesting and helpful solutions for government agencies, and our work together for HSPD-12 continues this developing tradition.”