The venture, by combining Oki Electric’s iris identification and processing technology with Matsushita Communication’s video camera technology, will jointly develop compact, high performed and low-cost products for sales and marketing in Asian (including Japan), European and North American markets.
Through the business tie-up, the two firms expect to develop next-generation iris identification systems, promote iris identification technology and related products for security and personal identification, as well as establish de facto standards for these markets. Moreover, their complementary technologies should enable them to develop products offering high cost performance.
As a first step, the two companies will begin marketing and selling iris identification system incorporating a new architecture for financial industry from April 2001. Later, as a second step, they plan to launch a new gate management system for the financial industry. Future development will be focused on new applications based on iris technology.
Oki Electric has been conducting research and development of iris identification technology, which uses tint patterns, the unique biometric signature of a person’s iris, for personal identification. In October 1998, Oki Electric commercialized the IRISPASSR-S Gate Management System, the world’s first security-gate management system to use a human iris identification system, rather than conventional lock keys, number codes, etc.
Matsushita Communication, which boasts high technology in the fields of security image using video cameras, has focused on the security and safety business one of its four core businesses. The company commands large shares of security imaging markets in Japan and other countries.
