Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc.

Design News Magazine Names Fujitsu's MBF300 Sweep Sensor 2002 Product of the Year

Readers select Fujitsu's fingerprint sensor technology from seven finalists

San Jose, CA, March 5, 2003 — Design News Magazine, a Reed Business Publication delivering information on the latest tools, components and materials used in mechanical and electromechanical design, has named the MBF300 Sweep Sensor™ from Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) its 2002 Product of the Year. The award was announced at the 2003 Design News Engineering Achievement Awards Banquet on March 4th at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The announcement is also featured in the March 3rd edition of Design News.

Design News readers selected the MBF300 Sweep Sensor from seven finalists in different electronics, electrical and mechanical technology categories. Voting was completed in December 2002.

"Design News Magazine is one of the industry's most informative and prestigious publications, and we are very honored to accept this Product of the Year award, which is like the Academy Awards of Engineering," said Ken Iida, president and CEO of Fujitsu Microelectronics America. "The fact that the readers made the selection is particularly exciting and gratifying for all of us at FMA."

"The 2002 Design News Best Products of the Year contest brings together the best new engineering and design in seven key categories," said Karen A. Field, editor-in-chief of Design News Magazine. "This time, the seven winners featured a common thread – efficiency. The MBF300 from Fujitsu Microelectronics was matched against very innovative technology in every category, and the readers of Design News chose it as the year's best product. We congratulate the company on this award."

The MBF300 biometric sensor IC was introduced in March 2002 as the world’s smallest, most advanced, cost-efficient fingerprint verification system, built on the company's solid-state sensor technology and world-class template-matching engine algorithms. The product is designed to meet the rapidly growing demand for security systems based on biometric technology, capacitive-based, solid-state fingerprint acquisition devices.

Seven product categories in the Design News awards were electrical/electronic; test and measurement; computer productivity tools; fluid power; power transmission measurement and control; fastening, joining and assembly; and plastics, metals and other materials.

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About Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc.

Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) leads the industry in innovation. FMA provides high-quality, reliable semiconductor products and services for the networking, communications, automotive, security and other markets throughout North and South America. For product information, visit the company web site at www.fma.fujitsu.com/biometric

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Sweep Sensor is a trademark of Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. All company and other product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.