Concept: American company Targus has partnered with its domestic hardware company Synaptics to launch the world’s first biometric device built into a dock, the DOCK720: USB-C Hybrid/Universal 4K Quad Dock with 100W PD and fingerprint ID. Synaptics’ DisplayLink and biometrics technologies are used by Targus’s dock to boost security, productivity, and flexibility for businesses to operate.

Nature of Disruption: The DOCK720 monitors and includes a wide range of connectors as well as fingerprint authentication for security. SentryPoint biometrics technology from Synaptics combines several technologies, including encryption, match-in-sensor (MIS) architecture, anti-spoof technology, and more, to deliver security and fingerprint authentication solutions, as well as a world-first for docking integration. This universal (or hybrid) dock with fingerprint authentication is uniquely designed to meet the requirements of the evolving workplace whether users demand a single-display, two-display, or even four-display setup with the added security capabilities of biometrics. It leverages a combination of DisplayLink universal graphics technology and Cayenne VMM6210 video interface plus Prometheus FS7600 fingerprint sensor. Aside from the biometric features, the DOCK720 has USB-C, USB-A, and ethernet connectors, as well as HDMI connections that can handle either one single 8K resolution or four 4K screens. Synaptics’ DisplayLink technology is used in the hybrid design, which is compatible with major operating systems such as Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and Chrome.

Outlook: Today’s enterprises demand greater flexibility, collaboration, and security than ever before to maximize employees’ productivity from any location, as the workplace continues to shift to remote and hybrid environments. DOCK720 intends to address this issue for businesses that need secure network connections from any location, while also improving and streamlining the sign-in process for users. Synaptics claims the docking solution to be the most flexible display configuration available in any dock on the market. Targus also has the DOCK710: USB-C Hybrid/Universal 4K Quad Dock with 100W PD, which has similar universal compatibility and flexible connectivity as the DOCK720 but without the built-in biometrics features that larger companies demand. In hot-desking or hoteling scenarios, the DOCK710 can be the appropriate docking option for any enterprise or at-home user to boost productivity, collaboration, and convenience of use.

This article was originally published in Verdict.co.uk