Are 'Brainprints' a strong and reliable alternative to computer passwords?
Brainprints are brain's unique brainwaves that correspond to audio-visual inputs. It looks like brainprints aka brainwaves are the answer to the problem of passwords - which have become easier to guess with the modern hacking and cracking techniques. Even the biometric systems like fingerprints and iris scan are prone to theft. Researchers have been trying hard to find out the best mechanism to minimise the user action while authenticating themselves through a mechanism that is extremely secure.
I came across an experiment by Binghamton University. Researchers read out a list of acronyms like DVD, FBI to about 45 participants while monitoring their brainwaves. The researchers found out that each person's brainwaves responded differently to the acronyms and allowed identification of each individual with an accuracy of about 94%. What impressed the researchers that the identification remained unaffected over time as individual brainwaves responded the same to the acronyms even after a gap of six months.
One of the major advantages of this technique is that the brainwaves can't be stolen and duplicated. Researchers do not propose this system for lower security applications for regular users. It's going to look very weird when you've to get your EEG ready just to login to your secure email. The applications could be useful at high-security areas where only authorised persons have access to important information.
I however believe that similar systems will become commonplace in coming days. There will be devices that will take into account your face, iris, voice, fingerprint data in order to uniquely identify you. Brainwaves could just be one of these parameters.
I came across an experiment by Binghamton University. Researchers read out a list of acronyms like DVD, FBI to about 45 participants while monitoring their brainwaves. The researchers found out that each person's brainwaves responded differently to the acronyms and allowed identification of each individual with an accuracy of about 94%. What impressed the researchers that the identification remained unaffected over time as individual brainwaves responded the same to the acronyms even after a gap of six months.
One of the major advantages of this technique is that the brainwaves can't be stolen and duplicated. Researchers do not propose this system for lower security applications for regular users. It's going to look very weird when you've to get your EEG ready just to login to your secure email. The applications could be useful at high-security areas where only authorised persons have access to important information.
I however believe that similar systems will become commonplace in coming days. There will be devices that will take into account your face, iris, voice, fingerprint data in order to uniquely identify you. Brainwaves could just be one of these parameters.
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