Meiwa Estate Implements Fujitsu Palm Vein Authentication Technology for Condominium Entrance Access Security; First Residential Use of Palm Vein Biometric Security in Metropolitan Tokyo.

Tokyo, Japan, Aug 18, 2005 - (JCN Newswire) - Meiwa Estate Company Limited (TSE: 8869), Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702), and Mitsuiwa Corporation today announced that Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication technology will be implemented for front entrance security using an auto-lock system, at Meiwa Estate's Clio Shonan-Chigasaki condominium scheduled to be newly constructed by March 2006 in the southwest region of metropolitan Tokyo. This represents the first residential use in metropolitan Tokyo of Fujitsu's palm vein authentication technology for condominium entry security. Fujitsu and Mitsuiwa Corporation will jointly support installation of equipment for management of building entry security, including Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication device.

To offer safer and more comfortable living conditions, the Clio Shonan-Chigasaki condominium was designed from the master plan stage to include crime prevention measures and incorporate a high-quality security system. The front main entrance uses an auto-lock system which features contactless palm vein authentication technology by which a resident's identity can be verified by simply suspending the palm over the device.

Features of the auto-lock system incorporating Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication technology

A contactless palm vein authentication device is to be installed at the front entrance of the Condominium as part of the auto-lock system. By inputting their room number into a keypad and then suspending their hand above the device, residents' palm vein patterns are read and compared to the resident's pre-registered pattern. If the pattern that is read matches the pre-registered palm vein pattern, the resident's identity is verified and the entrance door will open. For non-resident visitors, an intercom phone will be installed at the front entrance.

Other security measures 

1. Safety and security in common areas

- Auto-lock system with display monitor

- Elevator featuring security camera and large window for visibility and crime prevention

2. Safety and security in private residential areas

- Door sensors for the entrance that will sound an alarm when pried open

- Door viewer covers that prevent light from inside the residence to be visible externally

- Door guards that are sturdy and difficult to cut through

- Doors designed to prevent fingers from being accidentally caught between the door and frame

- Dimpled cylinder door locks as preemptive countermeasures against lock picking

- Double locks that are effective in preventing unlawful entry

- Key features of Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication technology

Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication technology has been adopted for use in financial institutions, hospitals, and universities in Japan thus far. Key features of the technology are as follows:

1. Difficult to forge since biometric source is internal to the body

Palm veins are inside the body, thereby making them difficult to forge. Furthermore, compared to veins in fingers or the back of the hand, palm veins patterns are more complex and stable, offering highly reliable security in combination with high verification accuracy with a false acceptance rate(1) of less than 0.00008% and a false rejection rate(2) of 0.01%.

2. Highly applicable across users due to minimal impact from external factors

Fingerprint authentication can be hindered by friction or dryness of the skin, while iris scanning can be difficult depending on the size of the user's eye, thereby preventing successful registration and verification at times. In contrast, palm veins feature minimal susceptibility from external factors such as from cold weather, injuries, and skin abrasions, thus Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication technology realizes a high applicability rate across users.

Fujitsu collected data samples of 140,000 palm vein patterns from each hand of 70,000 people and verified reliability of its palm vein authentication technology for recognition accuracy and rate of applicability. There were no cases in this data sample for which the technology was not applicable, thereby demonstrating its high rate of applicability.

3. Contactless, thereby minimizes hygiene concerns during scanning

In addition to being hygienic, since the scanning of the palm vein pattern is completed in mid-air without the need for the user's palm to touch a surface and therefore minimizes possible psychological resistance to its use attributable to hygiene concerns, the device is user-friendly in that scanning can be completed in a natural manner that is not awkward to the user.

Future Developments

Meiwa Estate plans to incorporate Fujitsu's contactless palm vein authentication technology as a standard feature for other condominiums in their "Clio La Mode" urban-style condominium series.

By offering state-of-the-art security products featuring proprietary technology such as its palm vein authentication, Fujitsu will continue to support data management in a wide range of industries.

Mitsuiwa will support installation of biometric authentication technologies including contactless palm vein authentication from Fujitsu, for the condominium industry and other fields.

1) False Acceptance Rate: Rate at which someone other than the actual person is falsely recognized.

2) False Rejection Rate: Rate at which the actual person is not recognized accurately.

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