L-1 and Identix join Automated Biometric Identification System project

It was just yesterday that we reported on an enterprising major in Iraq who had fashioned for himself a mobile fingerprinting system intended for use in tracking down insurgents and other Iraqi criminals. We noted in our report that the Department of Defense has been planning a similar but authorized and fully networked system but that it had been delayed for some time. Now we can report that the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) is moving forward and that Stamford, Connecticut-based L-1 Identity Solutions has joined the Northrop Grumman-led project. “This award is an important milestone in establishing L-1 as a credible AFIS/ABIS supplier and positions us well for future opportunities, including the FBI Next Generation Identification (NGI) initiative expected to be competed sometime during 2007,” said CEO Robert LaPenta.

Expected to support up to 2.4 million finger, face, palm and iris records, and a lesser number of unsolved latent prints, the Northrop team will rely on L-1 subsidiary Minnetonka, Minnesota-based Identix’s ABIS System, which itself is based upon its underlying FaceIt facial recognition and BioEngine fingerprint technologies. L-1 will also provide a suite of professional services, including legacy data conversion and rationalization, as well as system architecture, design, implementation and ongoing support. Other additional products provided by L-1 include workstations for ten print and latent fingerprint examiners, as well as forensic face matching. Other team members on the DoD ABIS contract include Arlington, Virginia-based Ideal Innovations and Fairmont, West Virginia-based NEW-BOLD Enterprises.

-read more in this company news release