Friday October 16, 12:11 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.
Safeguard Scientifics Announces Who? Vision
Systems' Partnership With Philips Flat Display Systems
WAYNE, Pa., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (www.safeguard.com), the New York Stock
Exchange-listed (NYSE: SFE - news) strategic information systems company, announced that Who? Vision Systems, Inc., a
leading developer of fingerprint authentication technologies and products and Safeguard partnership company, has partnered
with Philips Flat Display Systems (FDS), a division of Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands, to develop and market a
new line of highly reliable flat fingerprint sensors for an array of portable computing and consumer electronics products.
Who? Vision and Philips announced that they are developing an innovative sensor design that addresses a number of key
product requirements such as thinness for easy integration with devices such as mobile phones, PDAs and notebook
computers; reliability to ensure only authorized users are granted system access; durability to meet the strict requirements
demanded by handheld devices; and ergonomic features to increase recognition accuracy and ensure user comfort and
convenience.
Commenting on the partnership, Pete Musser, Safeguard's chairman and CEO, said, ''This partnership is a wonderful
opportunity for Who? Vision to further position itself in the emerging biometrics security market while adding value to Philips'
flat display products and further validates Safeguard's strategy to provide shareholders with companies that are well-positioned
in leading edge markets. We also see this as an outstanding opportunity to deliver personal authentication capability to address
the growing need for secure Internet transactions generated by the tremendous growth in E-commerce over the Web.''
''Biometric security is an emerging market that allows Philips to integrate our flat display technology and create products that
provide added value for our customers,'' said Matthew Medeiros, chairman and CEO of Philips Flat Display Systems. ''We're
entering an image-centric age where the display becomes the human interface surface of portable devices, office environments
and entertainment. In the future, all of these activities will involve the use of a flat panel display.''
According to Alex Dickinson, CEO of Who? Vision Systems, ''The boom in multi-function portable devices has sparked a
tremendous need for secure personal identification. Our expertise in developing fingerprint security devices coupled with
Philips' innovations in flat panel displays and consumer electronics technologies create an unprecedented opportunity for us to
set the direction for the emerging biometric security market.''
Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. is a unique partnership of entrepreneurial companies focused on information technology markets.
Safeguard has a proven track record of bringing emerging companies to market through rights offerings to Safeguard
shareholders. Past Safeguard rights offerings include Novell, Inc., CompuCom Systems, Inc., Cambridge Technology Partners
(Nasdaq:CATP - news; Massachusetts), Inc., Coherent Communications Systems Corporation (merged with Tellabs, effective
8/3/98), USDATA Corporation, Integrated Systems Consulting Group, Sanchez Computer Associates, Diamond Technology
Partners, Inc., ChromaVision Medical Systems, Inc., OAO Technology Solutions, Inc. and DocuCorp International.
Who? Vision Systems, Inc. develops and markets a broad array of fingerprint biometric technologies and products that link
personal identification to the digital world. The company's family of TactileSense technologies enhances security and
convenience by eliminating passwords in corporate networks, Internet transactions, home computers, and consumer electronics
devices. An XL Vision and Safeguard Scientifics partnership company, Who? Vision is headquartered in Lake Forest,
California. For further information, please visit the company at whovision.com.
Philips Flat Panel Display Systems develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art flat panel display products based on
active matrix and passive matrix liquid crystal technology. A full line of display panels ranging from 5 to 23 inches are available
for desktop monitor, notebook, industrial, automotive and medical system applications. Philips Flat Panel Display Systems is a
leading developer and manufacturer of active matrix LCD products in the world. Philips Flat Panel Display Systems is part of
Philips Components and is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. It maintains facilities in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific.
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies, with sales of over $39 billion
in 1997. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, home telephony products, electric shavers and recorded music
(PolyGram). Its 225,000 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer products,
components, semiconductors, and professional products and services. Philips is quoted on the NYSE, London, Frankfurt,
Amsterdam and other stock exchanges. News from Philips is located at www.news.philips.com.
SOURCE: Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.
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