How do I get the Surface Pro 4 Type Cover Fingerprint reader to work with Windows 8.1?

I would like to get a Surface Pro Type Cover with Fingerprint reader working with a Surface Pro 3 ruing Windows 8.1. The store page said it was compatible with the Surface Pro 3, and doesn't specify that you must be ruing Windows 10. I've been using fingerprint authentication on PCs since Windows 2000 days, so it's not as if they are new technology.

Unfortunately, so far every attempt has failed, no Biometric devices show up automatically in Device Manager when the cover is clipped into the SP3 (as the keyboard and touch pad devices do) and the current Windows 10 drivers refuse to work with Windows 8.1. Even looking up the unknown devices VID and PID just points to an unrelated wacom device.

Upgrading to Windows 10 right at this moment is far from conveninet, so is it possible the Surface Pro Type Cover with Fingerprint reader to work with Windows 8.1?