Atmel's latest biometric security system chipset combines the company's AT77C104 FingerChip fingerprint sensor and its AT91SAM7FP105 FingerChip Security Processor, a dedicated low power, 32-bit based co-processor.

According to the supplier, all biometric processing is on-chip, ensuring that a user's fingerprint image and template remain private and secure at all times.

Any transfer of data is encrypted and subjected to challenge/response algorithms to ensure protection from all methods of attack.

The chipset supports many Trusted Platform Module (TPM) functions, enabling it to securely authenticate TPM devices with a fingerprint match for embedded applications. It also adds SPI and UART interfaces, which combined with a full featured API and command set enables biometric authentication to be added to embedded applications and controlled by any small, low cost microcontroller acting as a Host.

There is a full reference design available.

See Biometrics (Fingerprint Sensor) - Datasheets

For more info, see http://www.atmel.com