Ramsey, N.J. – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced it's parent company – Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. – and Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (Dai Nippon Printing) were jointly nominated as a finalist in the IT Security category of the 2010 SESAMES Awards for the jointly developed "Universal Design High-security MFP with Body Area Network (BAN) Smart Card."  Announced in advance of this week's 2010 CARTES & Identification Exhibition, the world's largest-class smart card technology expo, the SESAMES Awards are presented to the best technological innovations and applications across ten categories.

The "Universal Design High-security MFP with BAN Smart Card" was selected as one of 33 finalists from nearly 395 applications.  The SESAMES Awards will select ten winners in the following categories: Hardware, Software, Identification/ID Cards, IT Security, Transportation, Banking/Retail/Loyalty, Trusted Internet/ Authentication, Mobility, e-Transactions, and Manufacturing and Tests.  The awards will be presented at a prestigious ceremony later today, December 6, in Paris, France on the eve of the event.

"We are excited to receive the SESAMES Award nomination for this innovative solution jointly developed with our partners at Dai Nippon Printing," said Kevin Kern, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.  "This recognition supports our continued commitment to delivering cutting-edge and high-quality products and solutions that give our customers more reasons to count on Konica Minolta for their digital printing needs."

The "Universal Design High-security MFP with BAN Smart Card" is the world's first application to incorporate smart-card-based BAN security technologies with multifunctional products (MFPs – print, copy, fax, and scan all in one system) in a single unit.  Konica Minolta and Dai Nippon Printing have utilized BAN technologies to develop a system where nothing is required more than the human body's touch on the device or its accessory to complete identity verification.  The joint solution utilizes a transmitter with an inserted smart card that completes identity verification as soon as the user stands on the floor mat that works as receiving antenna, or the user touches the front of the MFP.  The BAN unit is economically beneficial because it can be easily added to existing MFP systems or ID-verification smart cards without major modifications for better convenience.