INDIANA BLOOD CENTER SIGNS BIO-KEY® CONTRACT
Hoosier donors to become the first in the country to benefit from large scale fingerprint identification
WALL, NJ, February 25, 2008 – BIO-key International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BKYI), a leader in finger-based biometric identification and wireless public safety solutions, today announced that the Indiana Blood Center is deploying BIO-key’s WEB-key® biometric identification technology to enhance the convenience and security of identifying blood donors.
The Indiana Blood Center is incorporating BIO-key’s patented large-scale identity assurance platform to provide a safe, secure and convenient means for donors to confirm their identity. When a donor is first enrolled, the BIO-key software creates a template based on the person's fingerprint and associates that template with the record identifier for the donor. With each visit to an Indiana Blood Center donation site or mobile collection unit, a donor simply places his finger on the reader to reestablish their identity.
This touchpad identification replaces the need to present a state-issued photo identification card, such as a driver’s license, as is the standard operating procedure at Indiana Blood Center today. The biometric software encrypts the donor’s fingerprint template to ensure privacy and guarantee that it cannot be recreated.
“Adopting the latest technology in fingerprint identification on the donor side complements Indiana Blood Centers’ high-tech capabilities in blood typing, testing and processing that most donors never see,” said Indiana Blood Center President and CEO, Byron Buhner. “Promising donor convenience, safety and security, our transition to BIO-key marks our continued commitment to Hoosier donors who enable us to meet the continuous demand of hospitals throughout Indiana.”
Jim Sullivan, BIO-key’s Director of Biometric Sales, added, “The superior accuracy and security of our software provides the Indiana Blood Center and their customers with a fast, convenient and more secure alternative to establish the identity of donors. Using Indiana Blood Center as an example, we will diligently market our superior solution to other blood centers across the country looking to improve system accuracy and user convenience without compromising donor privacy.”
“Indiana Blood Center is the first in its industry to adopt BIO-key technology,” said BIO-key’s CEO, Mike DePasquale. “The contract that was booked in the fourth quarter of 2007 represents a major inflection point for BIO-key. We are well on our way in establishing ourselves as the leading provider of highly accurate and scalable finger ID solutions for the commercial and government markets.”
About BIO-key
BIO-key International, Inc., headquartered in Wall, New Jersey, develops and delivers advanced identification solutions and information services to law enforcement departments, public safety agencies, government and private sector customers. BIO-key’s mobile wireless technology provides first responders with critical, reliable, real-time data and images from local, state and national databases. BIO-key’s high performance, scalable, cost-effective and easy-to-deploy biometric fingerprint identification technology accurately identifies and authenticates users of wireless and enterprise data to improve security, convenience and privacy and to reduce identity theft. Over 1,000 police departments in North America use BIO-key solutions, making BIO-key the leading supplier of mobile and wireless solutions for law enforcement. (http://www.bio-key.com)
About Indiana Blood Center
Indiana Blood Center is a vital link in Indiana's health care infrastructure, supplying more than 550 units of blood to more than 60 Indiana hospitals every day. The nonprofit community service organization was founded in 1952 to provide a continuous, safe and adequate supply of blood products and testing services first to the people in our own communities, then wherever our blood products and testing services are needed. Visit www.indianablood.org or call 800-632-4722.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected on the basis of these statements. The words "estimate," "project," "intends," "expects," "believes" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For a more complete description of these and other risk factors that may affect the future performance of BIO-key International, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company also undertakes no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
