FINGERPRINT SYSTEMS CAN LEAVE RESIDUE

NEW PATENT AWARDED

Eds. Note: Half of us, after reading the latest from Luminetx, have decided to apply for patents on our spit. The other half of us are charge with coming up with a ProductName(TM). Preliminary musings: "SpitSpatMine(R), extremely me" or "MYspittleME(tm), the avant-garde solution to my self in times of myself"

Out of MEMPHIS, Tenn.

Luminetx Corporation, a leading developer and marketer of bioscience technologies, including its patented infra-red vein-imaging system, VeinViewer(TM), announced today that it has acquired the patent for biometric identification of individuals through the use of subcu-taneous vein patterns.

"The need for effective, repeatable biometric technologies has increased dur-ing our war on terror and the recent plague of identity thefts," says Jim Phil-lips, CEO of Luminetx. "Vein pattern biometrics presents many advantages over outdated biometric methods." Phillips goes on to explain that fingerprint sys-tems can leave residue that can be lifted with scotch tape; hand geometry sys-tems require physical contact -- spreading bacteria and viruses between users; and iris scanning systems have been compromised by laser-printed images of a person's iris. "Vein-pattern biometric technologies require little physical con-tact, are unique to each user and are fast and easy to use," he says.