Ankita
Member • Sep 15, 2013
SilentSense Identifies You From Taps & Swipes On Smartphone - The iPhone Touch ID Rival Is Here
When Apple introduced the iPhone 5 Touch ID, we went ga-ga over the innovation that the company had brought to smartphones. Well, here some news that is sure to baffle you with its sheer novelty. We all know that - Gone is the age of passwords. Now, we have a new software that can enable your touchscreen smartphone to identify you by the unique way you tap and swipe on the device. Developed by Cheng Bo and his colleagues at the Illinois Institute of Technology, this software is called 'SilentSense'. At 99% accuracy, the SilentSense software works up an algorithm that uses the phone's built-in sensors to record the unique patterns of pressure, duration and fingertip size and position each user exhibits when interacting with their phone or tablet. These are then converted into a signature using machine-learning algos. So basically, those who can't match your unique pattern of accessing your personal hand-held device won't be able to access your phone. Ever.
According to a description on Cornell University Library's website, Bo and colleagues Lan Zhang and Xiang-Yang Li say that their work is "a framework to authenticate users silently and transparently by exploiting dynamics mined from the user touch behavior biometrics and the micro-movement of the device caused by user's screen-touch actions." To increase the system's accuracy, the smartphone's accelerometer and gyroscope measure how much the screen moves when you are pressing it. They can also pick up on your unique gait as you walk while using the screen. "Different users, dependent on sex and age among other things, will have different habits in interacting," says Bo.
The software stops checking the user's identity when apps like games are being used - which I think could be a shortcoming. However, to maintain security, it automatically switches on when more sensitive applications, such as email or SMS, are accessed. Also, they have mentioned that using this software doesn't mean that you have to give up the need for pattern or code to unlock your phone, or drop the need for traditional passwords like iPhone Touch ID - All That Matters & All You Should Knowdoes.
So, do we have a winner here? Is SilentSense a tough competition for iPhone Touch ID? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in comments section below.
According to a description on Cornell University Library's website, Bo and colleagues Lan Zhang and Xiang-Yang Li say that their work is "a framework to authenticate users silently and transparently by exploiting dynamics mined from the user touch behavior biometrics and the micro-movement of the device caused by user's screen-touch actions." To increase the system's accuracy, the smartphone's accelerometer and gyroscope measure how much the screen moves when you are pressing it. They can also pick up on your unique gait as you walk while using the screen. "Different users, dependent on sex and age among other things, will have different habits in interacting," says Bo.
The software stops checking the user's identity when apps like games are being used - which I think could be a shortcoming. However, to maintain security, it automatically switches on when more sensitive applications, such as email or SMS, are accessed. Also, they have mentioned that using this software doesn't mean that you have to give up the need for pattern or code to unlock your phone, or drop the need for traditional passwords like iPhone Touch ID - All That Matters & All You Should Knowdoes.
So, do we have a winner here? Is SilentSense a tough competition for iPhone Touch ID? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in comments section below.
