The goal is to create the software infrastructure in which users would just plug in biometric devices and start using them to log on. Microsoft's move is seen as promising. This is a tremendous step forward. Yet that consensus-based effort has been slow, and many within the consortium privately said the news would help speed the development of a market for biometric devices. The vision behind the development of biometric devices includes both the business and consumer markets.
Applications range from financial transactions to data mining.
Microsoft warned, however, that it will still take time for all this to develop. Officials at the software giant wouldn't say when this new software might be available on Windows. Corporate customers, whose acceptance is crucial for the development of a market in such devices, also warn that beyond a common API, other obstacles exist, including the need for large infrastructural investment to support biometric devices.