An innovative new fingerprint scanning technology could bring biometric sensors to a even more devices and products. The technology comes by way of FlexEnable, a developer of flexible electronics, and ISORG, a specialist in organic photodetectors and large area sensors for electronic devices.

Together, the companies have developed a flexible fingerprint sensor. Based on plastic, the sensor is only 0.3mm thick with an 8.6cm by 8.6cm active area. The system essentially imprints ISORG’s organic printed photodetectors (OPD) onto a FlexEnable’s plastic organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) backing, creating a flexible, lensless sensor that the companies say could be “applied to almost any surface”, even wrapping around edges or curves, as on a steering wheel, for example. Moreover, the technology can also scan a user’s vein patterns, adding vascular biometrics to its biometric capability.

In a statement announcing the technology, its makers didn’t indicate potential pricing. But assuming it’s reasonable, this system could take off in the months and years to come as the Internet of Things grows, since it will comprise a wide variety of products and devices that require some form of flexible user authentication system. Moreover, as companies seek to move beyond single modality security to more secure multimodal solutions, a highly adaptable system that combines both fingerprint and vascular biometrics will look very appealing. There should be a ready market for such a versatile product.

(Originally posted on FindBiometrics)