Wireless Product Development
Spotlight
Company: Identix Corporation
Industry: Digital Biometrics Scanners
HQ: California, USA
Webpage:
Identix Corporation, established in August 1982, designs, develops, manufactures, and marketed user authentication solutions by capturing and/or comparing fingerprints for security applications and personal identification
Product/Project Highlights
RDT
Client: Identix Corporation
- Biometric scanner module designed by Solid
- 802.11 Compliant RF communication for law enforcement, homeland security, and INS
- Removable rechargeable battery
- Integrated video and audio recording
- Scans fingers creating a 500dpi finger print image
- Built a total of nine fixtures
Situation:
Identix Corporation approached Solid about designing this new hand held product for them. They wanted to integrate a Compaq IPac with 1.8KHz processor, removable rechargeable Sony Battery Pack and a finger printer reader previously designed by Solid into one product. This product would need to be stylish, low weight, and be rugged enough for police work support. The product also need to be able to capture a digital photo, video, audio and swipe a driver’s license.
RDT
Client: Identix Corporation
Process:
Solid participated from gathering requirements to conceptualizing solution options through to production start up at the selected contract manufacturer. Working closely with our Client, Solid followed our Phase Gate Process for product design and development. Our engineers and designers first developed and then refined options for integrating the finger print reader previously designed by Solid for a different product, into a hand held device. An Industrial Design effort created the look and feel of the product and photo realistic renderings were created and approved by the Client. In the Detailed Design Phase the plastic components were modelled in 3D CAD software to create the features needed to secure all the components properly. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to confirm strength requirements were being met by the design detailed in CAD. SLA models (Rapid Prototyping process) were then made for each of the plastic components to create the first prototypes of the full assembly. After a few refinements of the design, another set of SLA models were built and used as mould masters to create rubber tooling which was then used to make the plastic parts from polyurethane for the first production units of the product.
Solution:
The hand held finger printing device was born! This biometrics device is an 802.11 compliant RF linked hand held device for law enforcement, Homeland Security and the INS. This product has an on board Compaq IPac with 1.8KHz processor, removable rechargeable Sony Battery Pack and integrated video and audio capture. The product scans fingers creating a 500dpi finger print image, captures a digital photo and video. With a copper coating applied to the inside surfaces, the designed enclosure provides a faraday cage for EMI/RFI shielding. Solid also designed an add on accessory to support swiping a driver’s license with the device.
