The Ethentica PCMCIA Thumbprint Reader Prototype is a compact fingerprint reader designed for use with laptops and desktops. With dimensions of .2 inches in height, 3.5 inches in length when closed, and 2 inches in width, this reader is easy to incorporate into various computing setups. Produced in the United States, this innovative anti-theft solution offers added security by allowing users to unlock their devices with the unique touch of their thumbprint.

Key Features and Technology

• TactileSense Technology: The device used Ethentica's proprietary "TactileSense" technology, which blended optical and silicon sensing. This pressure-sensitive, light-emitting polymer sensor was claimed to be more secure and less prone to fraud than other early biometric devices because it required the natural electrical field of a living finger to work, not just an image or latent print.
• Form Factor: The MS3000 was designed as a PC Card (also known as a PCMCIA card), a form factor common in laptops of that era.
• Software: It came bundled with "SecureSuite" software, which guided the user through the fingerprint enrollment process and managed password replacement for various applications and websites.
• Functionality: It provided single sign-on capabilities and could lock the computer with a screen saver that required a fingerprint for access.
• Compatibility: The product was compatible with Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 operating systems. 

This was a project for Ethentica worked on by my mom. I have not found any documentation to go with it but I remember when they were testing it out at a trade show many years ago. The working models were released in 2001. Picture of released model included in photos but there are no labels on the one I am selling.