Exponent Chosen by Department of Defense to Provide Reliability Analysis ForSmartcards.

Exponent, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPO), has recently completed development of its failure analysis laboratory for Smartcards under contract to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). This effort was in support of the DMDC's beta release of the Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC), recently announced by the Honorable Bernard Rostker, Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness). The CAC is a leading edge Java based Smartcard that will provide logical and physical access to Department of Defense computer systems and bases and will be deployed worldwide to more than 3 million military and civilian personnel. Exponent has also completed installation of equipment to test for compliance to existing specifications, as well as failure analysis, and preparation of specifications for future iterations of Smartcards.

A Smartcard is a plastic card containing a micro thin computer and memory built-in that can store significant amounts of information securely. The DMDC collects and maintains an archive of automated manpower, personnel, training, and financial databases for the Department of Defense, and is the proponent agency for introduction of the Common Access Smartcard throughout the U.S. Military. This new card offers the capability to achieve a new level of security in personnel identification and authentication by utilizing encryption techniques to store digital identity keys and certificates on the card, and in the future, to incorporate bio-metric (e.g. fingerprint) information about the individual on the card so that the physical identity and authorization of those using the card can be verified.

Exponent is assisting the DMDC in the development of the specifications for future Smartcards, offering expertise in test methods, and assessments of operating environments.

"By identifying repetitive failure modes and causes, Exponent can suggest changes to the DMDC specifications which will minimize future failures. This will increase the reliability of the cards and provide significant savings to the DMDC," says Roger L. McCarthy, PhD, Chairman of Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, Inc. Exponent has also evaluated new methods for non-destructive failure analysis of Smartcards including high resolution real time x-ray imaging, which can actually examine details as tiny as the solder joints used to connect the Smartcard computer chip to external contacts.

Exponent, Inc., is a multidisciplinary organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and business consultants performing in-depth investigations in more than 70 technical disciplines. The company's services involve investigating and analyzing failures and accidents to determine their causes and prevention and evaluating and solving complex human health and environmental issues. Exponent is certified to ISO 9001.