Monday, July 1, 2013

A High-Tech Tattoo Can Replace Your Passwords

Motorola's senior vice president of advance research, Regina Dugan, shows off an electronic tattoo at the D11 conference in California. The tattoos, designed by Massachusetts-based firm MC10, are made from silicon and contain electronic circuits that bend and move with the wearer's body. The tattoos, called Biostamps, were designed for medical purposes to track a patient's health, but Motorola thinks the technology can be used for authentication purposes, as an alternative to traditional passwords.

The hi-tech tattoo that could replace ALL your passwords: Motorola reveals plans for ink and even pills to identify us. The Moto X is expected to launch later this year and will be 'more contextually aware than other phones'. The Biostamp electronic tattoo is made of silicon and contains an electrical circuit, antennae and sensors that bend and move with the wearer's body. Proteus Digital Health's 'vitamin authentication pill' is powered by acid in the wearer's stomach and creates an 18-bit signal picked up by mobile phone. Motorola is trialling the technologies as authentication alternatives to non-secure traditional passwords...


This image shows the various parts that make up the MC10 electronic tattoo called the Biostamp. It can be stuck to the body using a rubber stamp, and protected using spray-on bandages. The circuit can be worn for two weeks and Motorola believes this makes it perfect for authentication purposes.

The mobile devices could then be used to confirm the owner's identity and log them in to accounts automatically. 
This would prevent thieves and other people from being able to access a phone, or individual apps on the device, if it is stolen or lost. 
Another idea presented during the keynote talk at the Wall Street Journal conference with head of Motorola Dennis Woodside and senior vice president for advanced technology and products, Regina Dugan, was a swallowable pill. 
The Proteus Digital Health pill has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration and was given European regulatory approval in 2010.

No comments:

Post a Comment