February 11, 2014 – by Peter B. Counter
Today, CEA-Leti – an institute of CEA’s Technological Research Division specializing in microelectronics, microtechnology and nanotechnology – announced the launch of a research project aiming to establish proof-of-concept and demonstrated potential for the large scale market penetration of a new fingerprint sensor technology. Named PIEZOMAT, the project is being funded by the European Commission with the ends of both designing and implementing biometric technology that can reconstruct the smallest features of a fingerprint in ultra-high resolution.
With partners from France, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania and Hungary, PIEZOMAT is being coordinated by Leti. Among the dream team of academic and industrial partners, you’ll find Safran Morpho, Fraunhofer IAF in Germany, Ireland’s Tyndal National Institute and a long list of European University science and technology departments. They will be working together in the development of a new fingerprint sensor that exceeds the current minimum resolution standard required by the FBI (500dpi) when it comes to AFIS solutions.
According to Leti, the method of innovation being investigated is also the project’s namesake: piezoelectric nanowire matrices. By growing vertical zinc oxide nanowires directly onto a network of electrodes, the technology will integrate and interconnect the large number of piezoelectric elements on a chip.
PIEZOMAT is the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Program. It will run for three years and cost €2.9 million.
The Leti coordinated project is reminiscent of a number of efforts being undertaken by consortia and alliances with a keen eye of innovation. As explored in the findBIOMETRICS Year in Review for 2013, cooperation is not a concern for the strong authentication industry. It is a positive attitude that stands to benefit biometrics greatly as they become increasingly mainstream.
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