Synolo® Biometrics, Inc.

Total biometrics from birth™

"We can't redesign infants, so we have to design new technology. From day one, we knew we had to rethink this problem from the ground up."

Dr. Eliah Aronoff-Spencer
Inventor of the Synolo® Neo

Português

The Challenge: Newborn to 8 year old ID Capture

Why infant print identification is so difficult: 

1) Standard 500ppi Fails: Infant prints are tiny and require highly sophisticated imaging techniques; hi-res alone is not enough

2) Contact Readers Fail: Infant prints are easily deformable and distorted by contact pressure, obscuring details

3) Non-contact Readers Fail: Infants’ behavior make them difficult to position for consistent image quality

4) Longitudinal Matching Fails: As infants grow to be adults, matching becomes difficult or impossible without accommodating age-related changes

The Solution: Synolo® Neo Fingerprint Reader

> Specifically designed to capture and match fingerprints from birth to adulthood 

> Incorporates patented PFFP™ imaging and usability technology developed at UCSD under grant from Gates Foundation

> Scientifically proven to provide 1:N matching from birth to adulthood
in multiple studies of over 800 infants, newborns, children and adults

> Currently in use in hospitals, clinics and schools in the US and LATAM

> SDK available for integration with customer biometric systems

> Age-adapted images output in standard 500 dpi and super hi-res

Events

Synolo® Biometrics attends a number of events to connect with  solution partners and government agencies around the world.  If you are interested in becoming one of our elite Synolo® Solutions Providers, or learning more about our newborn and infant biometrics capabilities, contact us to arrange a meeting at one of the following events.

September 11, 2024

Identity Week America 2024

Washington DC
Booth S13

September 17, 2024

Brasília, Brasil

Synolo® Technology

The Synolo® Neo incorporates patented imaging technology that utilizes the best of both contact and non-contact fingerprint readers to ensure the highest quality images of even the smallest newborn fingers. Our technology prevents the distortion caused by compressing a soft, infant finger against a glass platen, while ensuring the finger is positioned precisely to optimize image quality.

Combined with Synolo’s high resolution optics and proprietary image processing and age-adaptive algorithms, the Synolo® Neo not only ensures accurate infant fingerprint capture and identification but is also the only scientifically-proven solution to provide life-long 1:N matching as the baby grows to become a productive adult citizen.


The technology embodied in the Synolo
® Neo device and associated software is protected worldwide by the broad patent portfolio generated by UCSD and independently by Synolo, as well as numerous trade secrets.  Learn More

Announcing the Synolo® Solutions Provider Program (SSP™)

If you are a systems integrator providing turnkey biometric identification solutions to government agencies, and you need to capture and match newborns, infants and young children, we have the solution you need. 

Synolo® offers a range of exclusive programs tailored to meet your market needs.  Contact us to learn more.

Learn More

Synolo® Partnering Services

Synolo® Biometrics offers a full suite of services to assist systems integrators, OEMs, NGOs and government agencies in customizing and implementing the Synolo® Neo device and software for specific applications and markets. 

   * Trial/Rollout project planning 
   * Deployment support and training
   * OEM systems integration support
   * AI-based data and image analytics
   * Synolo® Neo device customization 
   * Synolo® SDK customization and integration
   * Synolo® capture station customization 

Contact us to see how we can help you successfully implement infant and child biometrics into your ID systems.

About Synolo® Biometrics

Synolo® Biometrics was created to commercialize the infant biometrics collection technology developed at UC San Diego with funding from the Gates Foundation.  This technology was clinically proven in a large joint study performed in a major hospital in Mexico, utilizing prototype devices and offline image processing.

Since forming Synolo® in 2021, the original "Panda" prototype has been transformed into a fully commercialized unit with proprietary, real-time, high resolution image processing, ergonomic design, and a robust SDK for OEM integration that is already successfully deployed in the field in the US and Brazil.

Our History

Synolo® Biometrics was created out of the Gates Foundation need to capture the identification of newborns and infants for the purpose of tracking administration of vital health care services. The resulting technology embodied in the Synolo® Neo has also been shown to be useful in identification, border control, and human trafficking.

For the first time, it is possible to capture fingerprints from newborns and infants, which has previously believed to be impossible, and match them as they grow into adults. And the same system can also capture fingerprints of all ages through adulthood.

2017

Gates Foundation Grant

A $3M grant provided to UC San Diego started it all. The Gates Foundation approached Dr. Eliah Aronoff-Spencer to lead a project to determine if - and how - newborns and infants could be identified for vaccine delivery using biometrics.

2019

UCSD/Gates POC Study

The resulting pilot study led by UCSD's team validated that a new, non-contact, high resolution fingerprint device (the "Panda") combined with novel image processing algorithms, could successfully identify 500 newborns and infants in a hospital setting.

2021

Synolo® Biometrics Formed

Synolo® Biometrics was formed by key members of the UCSD team and seasoned entrepreneurs to commercialize the technology. Funding was provided by BioPacific Investors angel group.

2022

Synolo® Neo Launched

> Improved ergonomics and usability
> Real-time vs. offline image processing
> Interchangeable aperture thumbwheels
> Optimized imaging technology with proprietary age-adaptive algorithms 
> Simplified manufacturing and assembly

2022

CITeR/NSF Study Launched

> POC study at NY hospitals, clinics and schools
> ~300 infants/youth covering birth to 15 years old
> One year study with potential for multi-year extension 

2023

NEC Announces POC

> NEC, a major global company with 110,000 employees and operations in 50 countries, announced a POC study using Synolo® Neo
> Short term study (1-2 months) to be conducted at a major hospital in South America
> Collect fingerprints ~500 infants at birth and verify on discharge 

Our Partners

Synolo® Biometrics collaborates with a variety of academic, government and commercial organizations in its efforts to bring infant and youth biometrics to market.

Scientific Papers

Nature Scientific Reports

Title: Biometric recognition of newborns and young children for vaccinations and health care: a non‑randomized prospective clinical trial

This peer reviewed article explores in greater detail the results from the joint UCSD/Gates study performed in Mexico in 2019. It confirms the feasibility of using the technology utilized in the Synolo® Neo for the verification and identification of newborns and young children in the hospital during immunizations or ambulatory care.

"This technique closes a vital gap in the biometric toolkit and presents a step toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 calling for the identity for all people worldwide, including birth registration, by 2030."

Below are a few key statistics and tables and charts from the paper. To read the full paper, click here.

494

Total
Subjects

297

Newborns
Enrolled

87%

TAR Newborns

98%

TAR
4+ days

Age Normalization of Fingerprints

The biometric device and example imagery used in this study. (A) the device in use, (B) time-course images of a single subject’s finger, (C) binarized prints finger images.

True Accept Rate

TAR for the two enrollment ages and different finger fusions at the 0.1% FMR for 1, 2, 4, and 10 finger-fusion

Gates Open Research

Title: Biometric recognition of newborns and young children by non-contact fingerprinting: lessons learned

This peer reviewed paper was published at the conclusion of the joint UCSD/Gates study held in Mexico. It examines the issues associated with collecting infant and newborn fingerprints and explorers potential ways to overcome those issues.

"The goal was to design a dedicated, handheld device with features that reduce the impact of infant-related failure modes in order to obtain reproducible, high contrast fingerprint images."

Below are a few tables and charts from the paper. To read the full paper, click here.

Image Processing Pipeline

This figure shows an overview of the proprietary process by which the raw high resolution image is age adjusted, optimized, and transformed to a standard 500 ppi template.

Selectable Apertures

Prototype design with selectable apertures to accommodate size variations on a single hand or as children grow.

Press & Presentations

Media coverage of Synolo® Biometrics and presentations given by key team members across the globe.

Uniqueness of fingerprints from birth explained in academic study

February 14, 2023

“Glover et al provide the missing link in our understanding of the timing and drivers of human fingerprint development,” writes Dr. Aronoff-Spencer.

Clinical research shows infant fingerprint biometrics nearing real-world effectiveness

Jan 3, 2023

Confirming the identity of newborns in healthcare settings with biometrics may be within reach with current technology, according to a new academic research paper published by the U.S National Library of Medicine.

Fingerprint Capture Challenge in Newborns and Children, Lessons Learned

November 17, 2022

Presentation given by Dr. Steve Saggese, Synolo's CTO and co-founder, at the Smarter Cities & Digital ID Forum 2022, held virtually, and supported by NEC.

NEC, researchers collaborate on infant fingerprint biometrics scanner commercialization

Nov 1, 2022

The developer of a device for capturing infants’ fingerprint biometrics is working towards commercialization as one of its co-founders prepares to present its technology at an event this month focused on Latin America.

KidPrint - Identity for Everyone

June 19, 2019

Presentation given by Dr. Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, Synolo's co-founder and inventor of the Synolo® Neo, at the ID4Africa 2019 conference in Johannesburg South Africa.

UC San Diego researchers unveil non-touch optical technology for infant fingerprinting

Sep 13, 2018

University of California San Diego researchers have unveiled their non-touch optical capture device for newborn fingerprinting, which they say can capture fingerprints from the day of birth.

Potential breakthrough in infant biometrics heads for trial in Kenya after ID4Africa appeal

Jun 28, 2018

A team of researchers at the University of California San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute has experience in global development projects, including in Africa, and identity expertise in addition to health technology development specifically for resource-limited and remote settings. 

Synolo® Team 

Executive Management

Seasoned scientists, physicians, engineers and entrepreneurs are leading Synolo® to success. (Click on pictures for the LinkedIn profile.)

Rob Lewis

Chairman & Co-founder
Over 30 years of experience in medtech and diagnostics industry as founder, executive, board member and investor; formerly President/COO of Berkeley Heartlab (acquired by Quest Labs)

Greg Scott

CEO & Co-founder
Over 25 years as executive, advisor and investor in life science; founder/CEO of ChinaBio Group in Shanghai, and co-founder/chair of BioPacific Investors; led numerous funding and acquisition transactions; early career with PwC and EY/Capgemini 

Steve Saggese, PhD

CTO & Co-founder
25+ years research, design, and development of optical imaging, sensor and laser systems for medical, military and commercial applications; co-founder Ion Biometrics (predecessor company); previously Principal Scientist and Chief Engineer for various imaging companies

Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, MD, PhD

Co-founder & Neo Inventor
Asst. Professor of Infectious Disease and Global Health, UCSD School of Medicine and Qualcomm Institute, and Director of the Design Lab Center for Health; co-founder of Ion Biometrics; inventor of Synolo® Neo

Contact Synolo®

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