ImageWare Systems Joins Fast Lane Option Alliance For TSA Registered Traveler Program
SAN DIEGO, CA, August 14, 2006 - ImageWare® Systems, Inc. (AMEX: IW),
a leading developer and provider of identity management solutions, today announced that the company has partnered with Saflink® Corporation (NASDAQ:SFLK), a founder of the Fast Lane Option (FLO™) Alliance for Registered Traveler, to deliver and market FLO -- a solution for the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Registered Traveler (RT) Program. The FLO Alliance offers an integrated Registered Traveler solution that leverages the industry-leading expertise, relevant experience and marketing reach of its member companies, including Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Expedia Corporate Travel and Johnson Controls, Inc., among others.
ImageWare will bring its leading identity management and secure credentialing expertise and provide the production, management and issuance of biometrically-enabled secure, FLO credentials.
“ImageWare is very pleased to join Saflink and this alliance of industry leaders to support the TSA Registered Traveler Program,” said Jim Miller, ImageWare’s chairman & CEO. “We look forward to deploying technology to help improve homeland security and expedite the travel experience.”
The TSA's Registered Traveler Program is designed to allow individuals who voluntarily undergo an in-depth background check and pay an annual fee to take advantage of expedited security screening procedures at participating U.S. airports. Enrollees will be able to utilize designated RT lanes, where they will be required to present an approved, biometrically secured identity credential for verification purposes.
The FLO Alliance for Registered Traveler, initially formed in 2005, brings together industry leaders in technology, finance and facilities infrastructure and security systems, in addition to companies with broad experience marketing to businesses, consumers and the aviation industry. The Alliance's solution provides for the complete Registered Traveler credentialing process and its operational use in airports. Built on the proven technologies of its members, the FLO Alliance RT architecture covers: the enrollment of biographic and biometric information and identity verification of participating individuals; collection of program fees; production and issuance of secure, tamper-proof FLO credentials; installation, maintenance and management of authentication platforms within aviation facilities throughout the United States; and operations management and customer service for the nationwide subscription program.
About ImageWare Secure Credentialing Solutions:
IWS Card Management System™
The IWS CMS is a comprehensive solution to support and manage the issuance of smart cards complete with the following capabilities:
- Flexible models of central or distributed issuance of credentials
- Customizable card life-cycle workflow managed by the CMS
- Integration of the CMS data with other enterprise solutions, such as physical access control and logical access control (i.e. Single-Sign-On – SSO)
- Robust encoding capabilities for specific encoding of mandatory data, digital signatures and programs in order to maintain interoperability as well as the security features specified for the cards
IWS CMS includes a robust Encoder which can be considered to be a complex device driver that properly programs smart cards and interacts with the CMS for data payload elements. It interacts with the Certificate Authority to encrypt or sign smart card data with trusted certificates and properly programs the smart card regardless of whether if the system is a standalone encoding device or one integrated into a card printer.
IWS EPI™ Builder
IWS EPI Builder is recognized as a leading secure credential component of identity management and security solutions, providing all aspects of ID functionality from image and biometric capture to the enrollment, issuance and management of secure documents. IWS EPI Builder is designed specifically to facilitate the production of high-end, secure credential systems and enables organizations to develop custom identification solutions or incorporate sophisticated identification capabilities into existing applications. Components allow users to:
- Capture image, biometric and demographic data
- Enable biometric identification and verification (1:1 and 1:X)
- Support numerous biometric hardware and software vendors
- Develop custom secure credentials
- Encode magnetic stripes, bar codes and smart chips
- Print IDs or other documents including national IDs, passports and access control credentials
IWS PrintFarm™
During the last stage of card issuance, the smart card printing process is by no means the least important stage. Production printing of tens of thousands of credentials requires a significant investment and a well-engineered system. The IWS PrintFarm software offers a cost-effective yet high-performance method for high-volume card printing.
About ImageWare Systems, Inc.
ImageWare Systems, Inc. (AMEX:IW), is a leading developer and provider of identity management solutions, providing biometric, secure credential, law enforcement and digital imaging technologies. Scalable for worldwide deployment, the Company's biometric product line includes a multi-biometric engine that is hardware and algorithm independent, enabling the enrollment and management of unlimited population sizes. ImageWare's identification products are used to manage and issue secure credentials including national IDs, passports, driver licenses, smart cards and access control credentials. ImageWare's digital booking products provide law enforcement with integrated mug shot, fingerprint Livescan and investigative capabilities. The Company also provides comprehensive digital workflow solutions for the professional photography industry. ImageWare is headquartered in San Diego, with offices in Washington DC and Canada. For more information visit www.iwsinc.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these statements are meant to convey to the public the company's progress, business opportunities and growth prospects, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements represent management's opinion. While management believes such representation to be true and accurate based on the information available to the company, actual results may differ materially from those described. The company's operations and business prospects are always subject to risks and uncertainties. Important facts that may cause actual results to differ are set forth in the company’s periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
