Press Release
April 12, 1999
Software Developer Expands IAFIS-Certified Product Line with Fingerprint Scan API Toolkit™
PLANO, Texas — Mentalix, Inc. announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has certified another Mentalix scanning software solution for use in the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). Mentalix’s scanning software, the Fingerprint Scan API Toolkit, was tested for use on Windows®-based platforms with the Microtek ScanMaker 5 scanner and was certified as being compliant with the IAFIS IQS Appendix F 500 ppi (Section 2.0) Scanner Specifications created by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. (IAFIS utilizes scans at the Section 2.0 level to obtain 10-print card images.)
The Fingerprint Scan API Toolkit was created for systems integrators and developers who need to incorporate IAFIS IQS-compliant fingerprint scanning within end-user solutions for law enforcement, civil and military agencies. Mentalix specifically developed the software to provide a standard programming interface that is both platform-independent and scan-device-independent. The product’s design has positioned Mentalix to easily re-certify the ScanMaker 5 library on additional platforms and to develop drop-in replacement scanning device libraries as end-use requirements and scanning hardware technology evolve.
“Until now, fingerprint solutions providers were forced to develop and certify their fully custom 10-print and latent fingerprint scanning solutions from scratch, sometimes requiring significant investments in proprietary equipment,” Paul Siegert, Mentalix President and CEO, stated. “This has resulted in large investments by systems integrators and has hampered their efforts to keep up with changes in scanner technology. Mentalix provides a cross-platform, component-oriented solution that completely satisfies certified scanning needs with commercial, off-the-shelf scanners, freeing systems integrators and developers to concentrate on other aspects of improving their overall solutions. This not only reduces the investment required by systems integrators, but also results in a lower overall cost for end-use agencies.”
The Fingerprint Scan API Toolkit includes the image acquisition functionality necessary for development of 10-print card and latent print scanning solutions. The software contains ‘C’ APIs, allowing integrators to provide a scanning interface for users of Windows 95/98/NT and UNIX® systems as well as multi-platform environments. In addition to enabling standard 10-print fingerprint card scans or user-defined latent print scans, the Toolkit also features a fingerprint definition template for support of non-U.S. fingerprint cards or for custom applications. For mixed certified and non-certified application requirements, Mentalix’s Pixel!SCAN API Toolkit™ (optional add-on product) may be used in conjunction with the Fingerprint Scan API toolkit to handle more comprehensive, general-purpose scanning needs.
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Incorporated in 1987, Mentalix was founded to develop easy-to-use products for the purposes of scanning, editing, and printing photographic images from UNIX-based workstations. As a result of several years of development, Mentalix is currently recognized as the leading image incorporation solution to the UNIX-based desktop publishing, graphic arts, and Web-page authoring markets. In addition, Mentalix provides fast, elegant solutions for scientific, technical, GIS, manufacturing, fingerprint analysis, medical, educational, and government industries. With the recent release of several cross-platform products, Mentalix is taking its imaging solutions beyond the UNIX market to users of almost any operating system. The company maintains its headquarters north of Dallas in Plano, Texas.
Mentalix, Fingerprint Scan API Toolkit and Pixel!SCAN API Toolkit are trademarks or registered trademarks of Mentalix, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark. Windows and Windows NT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks acknowledged.
Press contact:
Alissa F. Payne
Mentalix, Inc.
(972) 423-9377 Ext. 124
