Fingerprint-focused biometric firm BIO-key hit the headlines earlier this month for a role it played in showcasing fingerprint scanners and software solutions as part of the US launch of Windows 10 for Business and Office 2016.BIO-key took part in a 12-city US tour with Microsoft that demoed how the former's solutions will interact with Windows 10 and its native biometric logon option, Windows Hello.Given Microsoft's global reach, some critics expect Hello to extend the use of biometrics further than even that achieved by Apple with Touch ID. By introducing a biometric security option on almost every desktop computer, or mobile device running Window 10, the process will likely further ingrain the technology's superiority over passwords in the public consciousness.BIO-key's scanners work natively with Windows 10, and the firm has also developed advanced solutions for enterprise users of its biometric technology requiring integration with Active Directory or public/private clouds.Planet Biometrics talked to Michael DePasquale, BIO-key's Chairman and CEO, about the importance of the tour and the company's recent progress.How does it feel to be a launch partner for Windows 10?BIO-key is very excited that Microsoft is embracing our company and our technology. It's been quite an achievement to be promoted as the exclusive biometric technology provider during the launch of Windows 10. We anticipate that the launch was just the beginning of what we hope will be a very long term business relationship. As your audience may already be aware, Windows 10 Hello and Windows Passport is Microsoft's new biometric authentication platform. They join Apple, Samsung and others that are recognizing consumers want and are seeking a secure and convenient alternative to passwords.Has the 12-city tour helped users in the US appreciate the benefits of biometric security?Indeed and the numbers speak for themselves. Microsoft had more than 5,000 IT managers, directors and executives register for the events. BIO-key was referred to as “The star of the show” as more that 40% of those that attended requested additional information, scheduled follow-up meetings or purchased our products.In the same vein, do you believe mass adoption of biometrics is brought closer by large scale deployments like Hello?Absolutely and we refer to this as the consumerization of biometric technology. Again, Apple deserves a lot of credit for being the first consumer focused giant to open the customer's eyes to the benefits of incorporating biometric authentication. Apple removed the mystique. But, we agree that as household names such as Microsoft, champion biometric technology, the entire industry benefits from the visibility. More important and a fact that must not go overshadowed is that consumers are excited about using biometric technology. Today, more than 150 million people are using fingerprint authentication in the US alone and loving it. BIO-key has been attracting and generating some great investment interest in recent months. What is the strategy to capitalize on this interest?The recent $19.5M investments we completed last quarter allows us to broaden product lines, develop new and innovative solutions, expand our sales team and increase the visibility of our company and technology through enhanced marketing efforts. Additionally, specific to this recent investment by China Goldjoy Group and Affiliates, BIO-key plans on capitalizing on the significant growth opportunity in the Asia Pacific market. We have also opened offices in China and Hong Kong to grow our presence in that market.Can you tell us a little bit about BIO-key's increasing engagement with Asia?The APAC market has proven to be early adopters of biometric technology. Many security and biometric industry forecasts point to continued accelerated growth in this region. Although, we have tried to penetrate the Asian market in the past through our strategic partners including IBM, Oracle and CA, we only had modest success. By committing to a on the ground strategy with a large commercial partner such as CGG we feel it will vastly improve our ability to identify new revenue opportunities.Are there any issues that you feel the biometrics community should be discussing more, and why?There are two areas that we believe are prime for adoption of biometric technology. It seems obvious that mobile banking and mobile transactions are a perfect fit for biometrics. As we trust our smart devices to manage more and more of our personal and business tasks, we must address the security challenge. A balance of convenience and security both “on device” and “in the cloud” will be the next wave of mass deployment of biometric technology. Apple and Samsung Pay are on the beginning of what will be a revolution in positive identification and authentication of users for all types of transactions. However those that are high stakes will require a level of security that goes beyond the “on device” solution that Apple and Samsung are offering todayߪ..our WEB-key platform is the perfect fit for such applications allowing enterprises the ability to securely and conveniently ID individuals in the cloud without compromising their privacy. Once we are operating at that level biometrics will be as prevalent as passwords and PIN's are today.We also anticipate that fingerprint biometric technology will be the solution for positive patient identification. Social security numbers, driver's licences and government ID cards are not the answer because they can be compromised and used by fraudsters. Healthcare organizations are focused on preventing fraud and duplicate records therefore incorporating biometrics as a layer of security makes the world of sense. BIO-key is already providing donor ID for several blood centres so we have a deep understanding of identifying donors and patients.

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