One of the most interesting features of HP's upcoming H5450 IPaq is the biometric scanner. We take a look at the technology designed to keep your portable data secure.
Last month, Hewlett-Packard raised the high-end PDA stakes with the announcement of the H5450 which will feature a lethal combination of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi... and biometrics. The last feature raised industry eyebrows as the H5450 will become one of the first handhelds to sport integrated fingerprint recognition functions.
Biometric systems recognize people by their unique physical features, such as fingerprints, irises and the shape of the face. Prior to the H5450, these security functions were available, but as add-ons for PDA devices.
In an interview with CNET Radio, director of Marketing for HP Smart Handhelds Group, Cindy Box, explained that such enhanced security is necessary for the H5450 as owners will be using the PDA to access corporate networks.
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| The thin, black strip below the five-way navigation button is the thermal sensor. |
The H5450 thus comes with a thin, horizontal fingerprint reader located below the five-way directional pad on the handheld. By swiping an index finger vertically down this sensor, the user will be able to authenticate himself in order to gain software access to the PDA.
According to Box, the iPaq makes use of thermal scanning technology to detect fingerprints. The device measures the differences in temperature between the ridges and valleys on a finger. Requiring a small footprint, this technology has been touted for mobile devices such as PDAs and cell phones.
The solution is provided by California-based Atmel Corporation. According to a press statement issued by the semiconductor company, the thermal method allows dry or worn fingers to be recognized. It is also suitable for extreme environmental conditions, claimed Atmel.
So is the iPaq H5450 foolproof? With a combination of alphanumeric and biometric authentication, it is certainly more secure than previous handhelds. But while thermal scanning is said to be more reliable than other fingerprint scanning methods, one German publication claims to have outwitted the technology by using a silicon copy of an authentic fingerprint in a test.
The H5450 is expected to hit Australian retail stores by end of the year. You can check out our preview of the iPaq here.
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