Linux Powered Single-Board Computer Runs Biometric Software

TMX1000 is one of the latest devices powered by Linux that makes itself famous due to the interesting high quality features it provides. Announced a few days ago by the TriMetric UK-based, this product is a small single-board computer (SBC) designed for the devices which make heavily use of biometric scanners.

The SBC will be therefore useful in different areas, from time/attendance and access control to the point of sales equipments from supermarkets. Despite its small dimensions (it measures 2.5 x 1.7 x 0.3mm (63 x 42 x 9mm)) the board is pretty sophisticated and it can run properly both application software and biometric software. It is based on a 240MHz ARM9 processor and it can be configured with 16 to 32 MB of RAM, respectively from 4 to 16 MB of flash memory. The open-source software stack it comes with is based on Linux 2.6.


The TMX1000 has a RJ-45 connector for the10/100 Ethernet interface. The I/O is exposed via board-to-wire and board-to-board connectors.

Board-to-wire connectors:

- RS-232 serial
- RS-485 serial (optional)
- Weigand
- 1 x USB host port
- 1 x USB device port
- smart card interface
- audio
- 4 general purpose I/O lines

Board-to-board connector:

- monochrome and color STN, CSTN and TFT LCD interface; up to VGA resolution with 16-bit color
- camera Interface
- 12 general purpose I/O lines
- 16 addressable SPI slave ports
- SD memory card interface

Highlights in the the TMX1000 interfaces with fingerprint sensors :

- UPEK T1/T2 (flat flexible cable)
- Authentec 8600 (flat flexible cable)
- Atmel Swipe (flat flexible cable)
- Futronic optical (USB)
- Algorithm - Innovatrics

"Most biometric module customers were using an older design SBC, and purchasing a separate OEM module for their biometric application. We are offering them an SBC that could replace both." said spokerman Quentin Farrow.