ORLANDO, Fla., (Aug. 31, 2009) --- BioTraits, Inc., the biometric technology firm that provides corporate and government agencies with state-of-the-art security and accounting systems that accurately recognize and verify unique human characteristics, has developed new software that extends the firm's workforce management suite of software solutions to help employers create a totally automated, secure virtual office worldwide.
"Our new products measure human experiences to help companies increase revenues, increase profits and protect their assets and their security," said Peter A. Wengert, founder and chief executive officer of BioTraits, Inc.
Wengert explained that the new services will help businesses on several levels.
"With the new software we can move templates and clock people in and out, schedule people, do job coding and job costing," Wengert said.
Biometric sensors enable corporate CEOs and HR managers to open a secure virtual office on any desktop anywhere in the world.
"Anywhere you have an employee working remotely, or a whole staff of employees working on a PC or network, you can keep track of their time, the projects they are working on and their billable hours, all job-coded and configured to assure that both billing and worker compensation are calculated accurately," Wengert said.
"The new software enables workers to verify access to the company's VPN, to clock in and out from the remote desktop anywhere in the world and securely transmit data back to payroll so that all the proper accruals - vacation time, etc. - are accounted for," Wengert explained.
BioTraits is a University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program client in the Central Florida Research Park.
* * *
For more information about this release contact:
Peter A. Wengert, CEO BioTraits, Inc. 3267 Progress Drive, Suite 103, Orlando, FL 32826; 866-815-0888 or peter@biotraits.com
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Thomas O'Neal, Executive Director, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407 882-1120, oneal@mail.ucf.edu
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com
About BioTraits:
Founded in March 2003, BioTraits, Inc. is a biometric company providing solutions for biometric identification and verification products through its development of a suite of workforce management products and distribution of biometric access control products. For more information, visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Business Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 120 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, Lake County, the City of Leesburg and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.
Back To TopORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 27, 2009) --- BioTraits, Inc., a biometrics technology development firm, has appointed Todd Folds as president of the new BioTraits Consumer Protection Division.
Peter A. Wengert, founder and chief executive officer of BioTraits, Inc., said Folds is a graduate of Indiana State University with a degree in Aerospace Technology and has more than 16 years of experience in computer and online security.
BioTraits, a client of the University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program in the Central Florida Research Park, launched its Consumer Protection Division recently to offer state-of-the-art software to prevent identity theft and protect children from web-based predators.
* * *
For more information, contact:
Peter A. Wengert, CEO BioTraits, Inc. 3267 Progress Drive, Suite 103, Orlando, FL 32826; 866-815-0888 or peter@biotraits.com
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Thomas O'Neal, Executive Director, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407 882-1120, oneal@mail.ucf.edu
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com
About BioTraits:
Founded in March 2003, BioTraits, Inc. is a biometric company providing solutions for biometric identification and verification products through its development of a suite of workforce management products and distribution of biometric access control products. For more information, visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Business Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 120 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, Lake County, the City of Leesburg and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.
Back To TopORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 24, 2009) --- BioTraits, Inc., the six-year old biometric technology firm that provides corporate and government agencies with state-of-the-art security and accounting systems that accurately recognize and verify unique human characteristics, has launched a Consumer Protection Division that will focus on preventing identity theft and protecting children from web-based predators.
Peter A. Wengert, founder and chief executive officer of BioTraits, said the new division will develop and market Family ID Guard and Kids Web Guard to families for use on home-based computers.
"We have worked with the world's leading security companies to develop some of the most advanced security configurations on the market today," said Wengert. "We are focusing some of that advanced technology on an area of critical concern to most Americans---protecting our identities and protecting our children," he said.
Wengert appointed Todd Folds president of BioTraits Consumer Protection Division. Folds, a graduate of Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Technology, has more than 16 years of experience in computer and online security.
BioTraits Inc. is a University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program client in the Central Florida Research Park.
* * *
For more information about this release contact:
Peter A. Wengert, CEO BioTraits, Inc. 3267 Progress Drive, Suite 103, Orlando, FL 32826; 866-815-0888 or peter@biotraits.com
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Thomas O'Neal, Executive Director, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407 882-1120, oneal@mail.ucf.edu
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com
* * *
About BioTraits:
Founded in March 2003, BioTraits, Inc. is a biometric company providing solutions for biometric identification and verification products through its development of a suite of workforce management products and distribution of biometric access control products. For more information, visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Business Incubation Program:
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 120 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, Lake County, the City of Leesburg and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.
Back To TopORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 17, 2009) --- BioTraits, Inc., the biometric technology company that provides customized biometric software and turnkey security/IT solutions for a wide range of clients, has appointed Patrick J. Jannotti chief financial officer.
Peter Wengert, founder and chief executive officer of BioTraits, Inc., said Jannotti has a masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and more than 15 years of experience in software and information technology. Most recently, Jannotti was senior financial director for Tech Grant Management Consultants and director of strategic alliances for SunGard/HTE.
Wengert said BioTraits anticipates significant growth through the end of this year.
"Currently, we have contracts valued at more than $1 million in process and needed to expand our management team to handle the growth we are experiencing. Patrick will fill the critical role of overseeing all of our financial strategies and activities," Wengert said.
BioTraits Inc. is a University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program client at the Incubator in Research Park.
For more information about this release contact:
Peter A. Wengert, CEO BioTraits, Inc. 3267 Progress Drive, Suite 103, Orlando, FL 32826; 866-815-0888 or peter@biotraits.com
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Thomas O'Neal, Executive Director, UCF Incubation Program, 407 882-1120 or oneal@mail.ucf.edu
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com.
About BioTraits
Founded in March 2003, BioTraits, Inc. is a biometric company providing solutions for biometric identification and verification products through its development of a suite of workforce management products and distribution of biometric access control products. For more information, visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Business Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, Lake County, the City of Leesburg and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.
Back To TopOrlando Business Journal --
Three Central Florida firms are among the 10 that have been chosen to present at Florida Venture Forum's 2009 Early Stage Venture Capital Conference that will be held May 15 at the Omni ChampionsGate in Orlando.
The three firms are bioTraits Inc. and Eginity, both of Orlando, and QuoNova of Melbourne.
The conference is intended to showcase early-stage, high-growth private companies before a national audience of venture capitalists, angel investors, private equity investors and investment bankers.
BioTraits is a biometric technology company that provides hardware, customized software and information technology to meet the time and attendance and access control needs of its customers.
Eginity is a wireless sensor network provider. The technology provides an Internet protocol address to any sensor so it can be remotely accessed, monitored and controlled via the Intranet or Internet.
QuoNova develops technological health care products that help reduce infections in hospitals.
http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2009/04/20/daily17.html?ed=2009-04-22&ana=e_du_pub
Back To TopDescription: Biometrics technology company specializing in software that uses personal identifiers such as fingerprints to track employees and document the time they spend on the job. The technology can also be used to control access to computers, networks, and locations.
Biggest economic challenge: Securing the money to hire more salespeople, train them and pay them a draw until they can earn commission. "There are a lot of people who need jobs today, and you don't have to pay them much if you have a good company and a lot of promise," says Wengert, who started BioTraits with business partner Ricardo Aguilar. "We are a small company, and we're just now hitting our stride. ... Funding for small businesses is dried up right now. All I need is to hire 30 people and train them. It would cost only $100,000 to get them going for two or three months, and we have a proven product, but it's hard to get right now."
Survival secrets: Future strategic partnerships with other businesses that cater to the same customers.
Challenges for 2009: Too many potential customers and not enough staff to bring them in. He plans to hire up to 15 people this year.
Advice for anyone launching a business today: "Stop building and go sell," Wengert says."
More advice: "Have a kick-butt website," he says, "One of the biggest mistakes we made is we said, "We don't have to have a super-sexy website. We just want people to know we're here. We're a solutions-based company. Have a website built by people who know what they're doing. If it costs you $15,000, do it. ... You don't need to be in front of a customer to sell a customer. You can do it on the web and save time."
Back To TopDr. Jerry Osteryoung -- As so many businesses continue to experience falling sales, you might have to consider cutting your labor expenses. However, there is no question in my mind that these should be the last expenses that you cut. Laying off workers affects the employees and their families so deeply. It does not help us turn the economy around, nor does it give you the labor supply that you need when the economy rebounds -- and I promise you that it will.
I serve on the Board of a company, and we were faced with the decision to cut labor expenses. This company has a marginally profitable division that does not add much to the bottom line and is a large distraction to management. For those reasons, we really should have closed the division down.
However, if we had closed the division, 20 staff members would have been left with little hope of finding employment in this recession. Management and the Board of Directors all agreed that keeping staff employed was the correct thing to do in this phase of the economy, even if it meant taking a small hit on earnings.
Was this a way to increase the return to the shareholders? Of course not. Rather, it was a way to be a good corporate citizen by placing the welfare of staff in a position of high importance.
Did we have the financial resources to make this happen? Barely, but we all just knew that we had a very high obligation to the staff that worked with us.
Now, all firms are not going to have the financial resources to keep staff employed after everything else has been cut. In these cases I believe that reducing pay through unpaid time off or salary reductions is a much better alternative to laying off workers. In fact, in many cases where staff members are given the opportunity to vote between layoffs and salary reductions, they almost always select salary reductions to keep everyone employed.
Between unpaid time off and salary reductions, I personally feel that unpaid time off is the best approach. By cutting back on the number of hours worked (frequently called taking a furlough), staff does not get paid, but they have the time off. There is a direct benefit from the reduced hours: more free time. They get more free time that they can spend with their family or just enjoy not working. Additionally, with this approach, the worker's base salary is not adjusted, which means that their salary remains whole when things start to improve.
Cutting a worker's salary, while it might be necessary, is the harsher of the two alternatives. With the exception of keeping their jobs (which is not insignificant), the salary reduction approach delivers no new benefits. There is no time off, and staff is expected to work as hard as ever but for less money. Additionally, when things start to get better, there are always questions about what the continuing salaries will be.
Now go out and make sure that you have a plan in place in case it becomes necessary to reduce your labor expenses.
You can do this!
Jerry Osteryoung is the Director of Outreach of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship in the College of Business at Florida State University, the Jim Moran Professor of Entrepreneurship; and Professor of Finance. He was the founding Executive Director of the Jim Moran Institute and served in that position from 1995 through 2008. He can be reached by e-mail at jerry.osteryoung@gmail.com or by phone at 850-644-3372.
Back To TopBioTraits Inc. announced it was awarded a contract to provide access control and time and attendance accountability equipment and software to Merrimac Industries Inc.
According to a release, BioTraits will install new biometric and smart card readers and system software that tracks employee attendance and time at West Caldwell, N.J.-based Merrimac's manufacturing plant. Merrimac Industries designs and manufactures signal processing component used for defense, satellite communications, Homeland Security and commercial wireless markets.
Specific terms of the contract were not disclosed.
BioTraits Inc. is an Orlando-based biometrics technology company specializes in systems that track facility security and employee accountability.
Back To TopUnited States of America (Press Release) December 2, 2008 -- ORLANDO, Fla. --- BioTraits, a company that specializes in sophisticated biometrics technology, was recently awarded a contract to manage and maintain biometric security systems at The Vue, the 36-story luxury condominium tower overlooking Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.
"Condominium owners at The Vue enjoy one of the most advanced biometric security systems in the U.S.," said Peter A. Wengert, founder and president of BioTraits, Inc.
BioTraits will be responsible for magnetic door locks, electric strikes, locksmithing, and access control functions, as well as security cameras, DVR systems and internal networks that include computers, printers, and IT security.
"We are uniquely qualified in that our IT team will be able to make service calls remotely as well as on-site to minimize down time," Wengert said.
BioTraits was recently awarded a contract to provide a similar range of services at Solaire, a luxury condominium tower in the Plaza located on Orange Ave. at Church St. in downtown Orlando.
Wengert said the contract with The Vue Condominium tower resulted from owners of the Solaire sharing how satisfied they were with their relationship with Biotraits.
"Companies that rely on biometric security systems are on the cutting edge of electronic security hardware and software and they all talk to each other regularly," said Wengert. "We welcome evidence that our reputation in this field is growing," he said.
Biotraits' co-founder and chief operating officer, Ricardo Aguilar and his team use a hands-on approach by finding the solution that works for each individual client. "Once we find great customers like The Vue and Solaire, we know we'll keep them for life because we take full responsibility for the success of the plan that's been executed for them," Wengert added.
BioTraits is a client of the UCF Incubation Program at the Technology Incubator in the Central Florida Research Park.
For more information about this release, contact:
Peter Wengert, BioTraits CEO, 866-609-4711 or peter@biotraits.com.
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Technology Incubator, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Tom O'Neal, UCF Incubation Program Director, 407-882-1120
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, LV Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com.
About BioTraits:
Founded in 2003 at the UCF Technology Incubator as Biometrics Data Solutions, the name later was changed to BioTraits A Biometric Company to better describe their solutions for biometric identification and verification products and software development. For more information, visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, the City of Orlando, Orange County, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu.
Concerned that the personal identities of millions of U.S. citizens are far from secure, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff has recommended that the country essentially embrace three-factor authentication -- which he called "the three D's: description, device, and digit" -- to make it harder for thieves to steal an individual's identity.
Chertoff offered this suggestion during remarks he delivered on Aug. 13 at the University of Southern California, where he emphasized the importance of securing one's identity.
"In the 21st Century, the most important asset that we have to protect as individuals, and as part of our nation, is the control of our identity, who we are, how we identify ourselves, whether other people are permitted to masquerade and pretend to be us, and thereby damage our livelihood, damage our assets, damage our reputation, damage our standing in our community," Chertoff declared.
To guard against identity theft, Chertoff said, Americans are accustomed to using two traditional approaches, either separately or in tandem: an official card or document (such as a passport or a driver's license) or a specific piece of unique identifying information (such as an individual's social security number). Unfortunately, he argued, both of these approaches are far from perfect.
Documents can be forged, false IDs can be acquired illegally, and "sometimes we allow people to identify themselves using documents that are even unofficial," he observed.
Specific identifying data, such as social security numbers, pose their own risks. True, a social security number, in and of itself, doesn't reveal anything personal about its holder; it's simply an identity authenticator. "Yet, if you think about it," Chertoff told his audience at USC's National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events, "using a number or a word as an authenticator carries its own inherent vulnerability because as you give the number to people who are going to authenticate you, they now have the number."
Chertoff recommended that our society continue utilizing the tools of the 20th Century to "harden" these two forms of identity protection -- by making it more difficult to counterfeit an official card or document and by making it harder for thieves to gain access to unique social security numbers.
"We've put chips in passports. We've created pass cards. We've put bar codes in. We've embedded certain kinds of holograms, all of which are designed to make it more difficult for people to fabricate these cards," explained Chertoff. "And we've required higher standards through things like our Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which governs what people need to show when they cross a land border or our Transportation Worker Identity Card or even the Real ID Initiative to strengthen the security of our driver's licenses."
In addition, Chertoff said he supports the use of encryption to safeguard social security numbers and bank account PIN numbers, but recognized that encryption is only a partial solution.
"I want to remind you, every time you get on a telephone, and you give your credit card to somebody in a company as a way of validating your identity, you are trusting that the person on the end of the line is not going to misuse it," Chertoff warned.
Chertoff does not strike me as the type of person who easily trusts an anonymous voice at the end of a telephone line. That's probably why he is advancing the notion of adding 21st Century tools to further strengthen our citizens' personal identities.
That's what brings Chertoff to his three D's: description, device and digit.
Of course, the notion of three-factor authentication is not new and startling within the U.S. security community, but Chertoff probably thought the concept was worth explaining to a broader audience of Americans.
"Description means some piece of information or something known to you, and not to anybody else, that can separate you from the other person," he said. (Your mother's maiden name or your favorite pet's name are classic examples).
A device could be a traditional credit card, but it could also be a cell phone that carries a token which serves as an identification tool. "Many of you actually use cell phones as identification devices now because you can get on the Internet with your BlackBerry," said Chertoff. "You're using an identification device. So this is not some startling insight by me. It's a recognition of where we're headed."
A digit, namely a person's fingerprint biometric, could serve as the third leg of the stool. "Your fingerprint is unique and the ability to use that as an identifier, as we do, for example, throughout the criminal justice system, gives us a third powerful tool that we can use in order to make sure that we can separate real people from impersonators," Chertoff added.
The DHS secretary said he can envision a time when individuals who want to get on an airplane, transact business with a bank or gain entry to a student dormitory will be asked to authenticate themselves using the three D's -- a description, a device and a digit.
He's probably right.
Back To TopORLANDO, Fla. (May 20, 2008) - BioTraits, a biometric technology company, has been awarded a contract to replace a biometric security system at the Solaire condominiums in downtown Orlando.
Peter Wengert, chief executive officer, said BioTraits is installing its patented I-Guard Finger Scanner along with a key-fob system that allows residents' access to the building and their individual units, as well as elevators, the fitness center, lounge and other common areas of the 23-story building at the corner of Magnolia and Church Streets. The I-Guard system is also being installed on the handicap entrance at the building's main entrance off of Magnolia Avenue.
BioTraits wasn't the first to install a biometric security system and access control at the Solaire.
"When they [Solaire] came to us they were really in a bind," Wengert said. "They had already paid a considerable amount to a Canadian company for a system that was installed. But it didn't work. They brought BioTraits in to provide a system that does work."
"We're a local, full-service operation with a unique product and we've signed a five year contract to provide service at Solaire. We will begin training Solaire management and residents on the I-Guard system very soon." said Wengert.
BioTraits is a client of the UCF Incubation Program at the Technology Incubator in the Central Florida Research Park.
For more information about this release, contact:
Peter Wengert, BioTraits CEO, 866-609-4711 or peter@biotraits.com.
Carol Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Technology Incubator, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Tom O'Neal, UCF Incubation Program Director, 407-882-1120
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, LV Communications, 407-644-4142 or LvershelCo@aol.com.
About BioTraits:
Founded in 2003 at the UCF Technology Incubator as Biometrics Data Solutions, the name later was changed to BioTraits A Biometric Company to better describe their solutions for biometric identification and verification products and software development. For more information, visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Incubation Program
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Incubation Program has helped more than 100 emerging companies (including nearly 70 current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and more than 900 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With five facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation Program is a collaboration in economic development between the University of Central Florida, the City of Orlando, Orange County, Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council. For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu.
Summary from the Dallas Business Journal:
"In 2007, more than 311,000 employees nationwide collected about $163 million in overtime back wages as a result of government enforcement action, according to U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. That's up about 37%, or $44 million, from the $119 million in 2005.
Those figures don't include back wages won in proceedings where the Department of Labor was not involved, such as the one Valcho has launched.
"What's key for workplaces trying to defend against these lawsuits is their ability to put the onus of recording work time on employees, Goodrich Nix said. "Even so, employers still must track those hours, be able to prove that they have tracked them, and pay accordingly, she said.
"Rogge Dunn, who has handled more than 30 such cases, attributes part of the increase of employment litigation to personal-injury lawyers who are looking for more promising fields of law in light of tort reform.
"Dunn, a lawyer at the Dallas office of Clouse Dunn Khoshbin LLP, said that often timecards can become a greater problem for companies than a solution, especially if employees forget to clock out for the day, or if they forget to clock in.
"He said if there's a dispute over how much an employee worked, the onus usually goes in favor of the employee. That means it's up to employer to be able to prove that the employee didn't work the hours he or she claimed. The only way to do that, Dunn said, is to make sure there are people or procedures in place to make sure hourly employees are properly recording their work hours and breaks."
Back To TopOnline Banking, PC Security and E-Commerce Rated Highest among Desired Fingerprint Sensor-Enabled Applications
MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to a recent consumer survey, a vast majority of U.S. consumers trust in the convenience and security benefits of fingerprint authentication, especially as it relates to online banking, PC security and electronic commerce (e-commerce) applications. The survey indicates that a clear majority (77%) is ready to begin using fingerprint sensors as part of their part of their day-to-day activities, signaling the strong growth potential for broad consumer adoption
The independent survey of U.S. consumers, sponsored by leading fingerprint sensor and solutions provider AuthenTec (NASDAQ:AUTH ), shows two-thirds (66%) of consumers trust fingerprint biometrics as a means of authentication more than traditional PINs or passwords while 68% perceive the use of a fingerprint sensor to be more convenient.
Surprisingly, a similar majority (67%) claimed to have little or no knowledge of mainstream consumer electronic devices such as PCs and cell phones that feature a fingerprint sensor, despite their widespread availability. According to the survey results, 43 percent of respondents believe that less than one million fingerprint sensors are in use today. In fact, AuthenTec recently celebrated the shipment of its 25 millionth fingerprint sensor to the global marketplace in November, 2007.
"The survey reveals the chasm between strong end-user acceptance for fingerprint sensor-enabled devices and yet the low level of awareness of the widespread availability of products that feature our fingerprint sensors," said AuthenTec Chairman & CEO Scott Moody. "This feedback is a reminder to the industry and consumer electronics manufacturers that there is a receptive buyer eager to enjoy the convenient security of fingerprint sensors."
Correlation: Adoption and Online Comfort Level
According to the survey, the more often an individual conducts online banking and e-commerce, the more likely that person is to perceive the value of using fingerprint sensors and to consider more online activity. Two-thirds of survey respondents see the advantages of fingerprint sensors and their associated benefits for online banking and e-commerce, and would use the technology today to authorize payments and transactions online. As well, information security concerns among respondents also increased with more online activity.
Online Banking Rated as Most Desirable Application
When asked to rate their most desired application, online banking was the clear winner with information security second.
75% of respondents said they use online banking services and 78% of those respondents said that, if available, they would use a fingerprint sensor to make online banking transactions more convenient and secure.
More than one third of those who do NOT use online banking would be more inclined to do so if a fingerprint sensor was part of the experience.
Consumers Think Creatively About Biometrics Applications
The broad consumer openness to using fingerprint-enabled devices revealed in the survey mirrors the enthusiasm and creative thinking on the part of hundreds of consumers who recently participated in the international Big Ideas contest sponsored by AuthenTec. 25 winning ideas, including the Grand Prize winning idea – a lockable diary that can only be opened by its owner – were selected by a panel of technology enthusiasts.
Because of the low cost and small size of AuthenTec’s sensors, many of the contest ideas for fingerprint sensor uses are already being implemented today – from fingerprint sensor-enabled PCs to uses in cell phones, GPS navigation devices, door locks and a host of other consumer and business applications.
AuthenTec’s fingerprint sensors are based on the Company’s patented TruePrint® technology which reads below the surface of the skin to the live layer where the true fingerprint resides. The sensors bring Power of Touch® features including security, convenience, personalization and navigation to over 17 million PCs and more than 8 million cell phones worldwide.
About the Survey
The survey, conducted in December, 2007 by independent online service Zoomerang, sampled U.S. men and women between the ages of 21-55. AuthenTec sponsored the survey as part of its ongoing effort to track consumer, business and government market security trends.
The BTM 3.6 is now available.
Back To TopORLANDO, Fla. - Sanford based Seminole Masonry is a construction service firm with 150 employees and payroll that approaches $7 million annually. With a new digitized BioTraits Time Manager System developed by an Orlando firm, Seminole Masonry documents it is saving $180,000 more annually by simply eliminating wasted time and efforts, and the money to pay for them.
Ricardo Aguiler, president of BioTraits, Inc., joined the University of Central Florida Technology Incubator to learn ways to commercialize his ideas.
While he perfected the Internet-based BioTraits Time Manager System, which employs a sophisticated software program along with wireless remote devices, he also learned how to deploy it commercially. Seminole Masonry is one of his first "test" clients, and the company's documented results go a long ways towards selling Aguilar's BioTrait's Time Manager system all by themselves.
Seminole Masonry operates eight crew trucks manned by construction superintendents. Each superintendent is responsible for seeing to it that construction workers get paid for the time they spend at work, not the time they report.
BioTraits Time Manager includes wireless terminals that fit into the glove compartments of foremen's trucks. It enables on-site workers to "punch" a time clock remotely, using a fingerprint or a proximity code card that automatically records the identity of the worker.
"By codifying their time card process, they saved enough to pay for the entire system in the first three months," said Aguiler.
"At Davenport Insurance, a small business with only five employees, the owner imbedded a BioTraits Time Manager system and immediately reported a substantial boost in productivity. The owner began paying his employees for the time they worked, not the time they reported to the office, and found that productivity increased by more than 30 percent," said Aguilar.
"He was able to hire more professional employees and expand his business with the savings we generated," he said.
Aguilar said BioTraits Time Manager can be easily adapted to hospitals, financial institutions, and public service agencies such as law enforcement and social service providers, Aguilar said. Aguilar said he expects sales in 2007 to top $5 million.
For more information, contact:
Ricardo Aguilar, president BioTraits, Inc. 407.927.1837 or ricardo@biotraits.com
Carol Ann Dykes, UCF Technology Incubator, 407-882-0202
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, LV Communications, 407-644-4142
ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 1, 2007) - As a human resources director, Christy Doyle used to spend an entire day processing the payroll for the 100 employees at Quality One Wireless in Oviedo.
But, thanks to Ricardo Aguilar's BioTraits Time Manager System, she now has time to do the payroll, plus the work she used to push aside every week.
"It has made my job a lot easier," Doyle said, adding that she wishes she'd had the I-Guard Finger Scanner system sooner. "What used to take me an entire day to do payroll now only takes me about an hour." The finger scanner is a major product of BioTraits, a University of Central Florida Technology Incubator company.
Another benefit of the I-Guard Finger Scanner is its accuracy.
"It's a lot more accurate," she said. "There will be no more 'buddy punching'."
Even the employees there seem to like it, she said, because instead of lining up to use one time clock, they now have two machines to use and it doesn't take as long for them to clock in.
While the wireless company uses BioTraits' I-Guard Finger Scanner to replace their time clock inside their building, BioTraits' sophisticated software program also can be used as a mobile time clock, according to Aguilar, BioTraits co-owner and president.
Aguilar co-founded the company with Peter Wengert in 2003 as Biometrics Data Solutions International at the UCF Technology Incubator and recently changed the company's name to BioTraits, Inc. A Biometric Company to better describe their solutions for biometric identification and verification products and software development.
A Sanford-based construction company has installed wireless Time Manager terminals in eight foremen's trucks. It allows the company's 150 workers to clock in and out remotely with their fingerprints at each worksite with job code tracking capability.
The high-tech Internet-based system, which the construction company says has already shown substantial savings by eliminating wasted time, allows employees to be paid for the actual time they are working.
The system is designed as a high-tech time clock to log employee entries, exits and security, while it provides easy management of worker productivity.
If sales are any indication, BioTraits products - which control verification, access, security and time and attendance - are really catching on. And, because the system is easily adapted for use just about anywhere, even small businesses can and are benefiting from them, Aguilar said.
About BioTraits
BioTraits is a biometric technology company focusing on the current and future needs of companies and institutions demanding qualitative human recognition and authorization via human identification. Currently BioTraits provides solutions for Time & Attendance and Access Control. Solutions for companies' and families' most basic needs are its primary focus. For more information visit www.biotraits.com.
About the UCF Technology Incubator
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Technology Incubator has helped more than 80 emerging technology companies create over $200 million in annual revenue and more than 700 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. The UCF Technology Incubator was named 2004 Incubator of the Year by the National Business Incubation Association. Headquartered in Research Park near the University, the Incubator is a true collaboration in economic development between UCF, Orange County, the City of Orlando, Seminole County the Florida High Tech Corridor Council and the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.
For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu.
For more information, please contact:
Ricardo Aguilar, Owner/President BioTraits Inc., 407-403-6705 or ricardo@BioTraits.com
Peter Wengert, Co-Owner BioTraits, Inc. 407-407-6705 peter@biotraits.com
Carol Ann Dykes or Tom O'Neal, UCF Technology Incubator, 407-882-0202 cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Charlene Hager-Van Dyke, LV Communications, 386-837-8780 or 407-644-4142 chagervandyke@yahoo.com
Orlando, Fla., Sept. 27, 2005 --- Biometrics Data Solutions International, Inc (.Biometrics D.S.I.), a University of Central Florida Technology Incubator client, recently won a contract to provide a state-of-the-art security system to Knight Images, Inc., a Advertising firm headquartered in Orlando with offices in California and New York. Biometrics D.S.I. develops software systems to manage multiple Biometrics reads such as Hand geometry, Face recondition, and fingerprint for worker productivity and individual verification.
Ricardo Aguilar, president of Biometrics Data Solutions, said the proprietary software will power a state-of-the-art I-Guard access control and time and attendance system. Knight Images employees are Enrolled into there security system by placing a finger in the IGuard biometric reader. This form of identification cannot be duplicated or used by someone else, Aguilar said.
The bio-identification serves as a unique key that will open the firm's doors - so long as the electronic fingerprint template is imbedded correctly to match the employee's fingerprint.
"The system operates via the Internet, so there is no software for the user to install or implement and all software maintenance and updating can be done instantly and automatically, without a site visit," Aguilar said.
Aguilar said the Biometrics Data Solutions software is typically used as a high-tech time clock to log worker entries, exits. "The software provides our clients with a variety of record-keeping options to improve the management of worker productivity. It has greatly reduced their administrative time and cost of tracking and entering the data while increasing the accuracy. Some clients have saved enough money with the system that they have been able to hire new employees." said Aguilar.
About the UCF Technology Incubator
Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Technology Incubator has helped more than 80 emerging technology companies create over $175 million in revenue and more than 630 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. As a result of this success, the UCF Technology Incubator was recently named the 2004 Technology Incubator of the Year by the National Business Incubation Association. Headquartered in Research Park near the University, the Incubator is a true collaboration in economic development between UCF, Orange County, the City of Orlando the Florida High Tech Corridor Council and the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission.
For more information, please visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu
For more information, contact:
Ricardo Aguilar, President, Biometrics Data Solutions International,Inc. 407.927.1837
Tom O'Neal or Carol Ann Dykes, UCF Technology Incubator, 407.882.0202
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, LV Communications Inc. 407.644.4142
Orlando, Fla., (Aug. 01, 2005) - Biometric Data Solutions International, Inc. a University of Central Florida Technology Incubator firm recently launched a new software application that tracks small business workers' time and productivity.
Ricardo Aguilar, president of the firm, said Biometric DSI's Time and Attendance software already saved one Winter Park business - with two employees - more than $1,000 per month and enabled the firm to hire two additional employees and substantially increase productivity.
Recent studies by the American Payroll Assn. show long lunches, breaks, tardiness and early departures average four hours and four minutes per employee each week, said Aguilar. "In most small businesses, the owner is also the bookkeeper, the purchasing manager and the outside sales executive so it's impossible to directly supervise every single operation," Aguilar said.
"Time and attendance software does that, and we are unique in that we have targeted big corporate software and made it economical for small companies to utilize," he said." Biometric DSI's Time and Attendance software is designed for companies that employ two to 200 workers.
Biometric DSI software recently tested its software at Davenport Insurance Co. in Winter Park. Owner Kim Davenport initially felt that with two employees, the system couldn't possible save enough to make its investment feasible at $4,000 to $10,000 per license, depending on the number of employees and a company's existing software systems.
"I was wrong," Davenport reported. Time & Attendance software showed that neither of the Davenport insurance company employees actually worked a 40-hour week. "Biometric DSI's Time and Attendance software saved Davenport Insurance Company over $1,000 per month," Aguilar said.
"Davenport was able to increase the productivity of his existing employees and to afford two additional employees who increased productivity even more, he said.
Aguilar said the software can quickly calculate how much money small companies with 10, 30 or 100 plus employees are losing by using their antiquated system.
"Right now there is nothing on the market that can compete with Biometric DSI's Time and Attendance software," said Aguilar.
"Our closest competitor charges $150,000 per installation and they only work with companies that have thousands of employees."
Biometric DSI's Time and Attendance software is designed to interface with the small companies existing accounting systems - QuickBooks software is among the most popular - with no additional costs or maintenance, according to Aguilar.
Back To Top
Home