About Us

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.

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.

2025

Contact Top Release

Synolo® Neo is the only biometrics device to offer both contact and non-contact capabilities in the same device. You can now rapidly switch between our patented non-contact and contact tops to capture infant, child and adult fingerprints with either technology in high resolution, age corrected images, providing a highly flexible solution for lifelong identification.

2025

FBI Certification

Synolo® Neo becomes the first non-contact device designed for infant and child as well as adult biometrics to receive FBI PIV single finger certification.

2024

Synolo® Launches in Brazil

Synolo® announces expansion into Latin America with the commercial launch of the Synolo® Neo fingerprint reader in Brazil
This initiative reinforces the company's commitment to providing innovative biometric and civil identification solutions that ensure the protection of babies and children from the earliest stages of life through key local partners

2023

First Commercial 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) conducted at a major hospital in South America
Collected fingerprints from ~500 infants at birth and verified on discharge

2022

Synolo® Neo Launched

Improved ergonomics and usability
Real-time image processing
Interchangeable aperture thumbwheels
Optimized imaging technology with proprietary age-correction algorithms
Simplified manufacturing and assembly

2022

CITeR/NSF Study Launched

POC study at NY hospitals, clinics and schools
~300 infants/children covering birth to 15 years old
Multi-year study conducted by CITeR and Clarkson University

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.

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.

2017

Gates Foundation Grant

A $5M 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.