Skull Password

Scientists from the University of Saarland and University of Stuttgart in Germany have developed a new Google Glass-based biometric system which uses the skull to provide access to devices.

This is the latest addition to a slew of biometric security measures such as fingerprints, voice and iris scans. Moreover, it is much more secure than a password or a PIN. The new system known as ‘Skull Conduct’ uses the skull to provide a digital access code to the user. “Eyewear computers such as Google Glass are already being used in companies and universities, for helping with physics experiments and in chemistry labs, documenting medical examinations and assisting paediatricians during operations. Not only may the users have no hands free to enter a password, they often share a Google Glass among each other and save sensitive data on the device," said Andreas Bulling from Saarland University.

In order to protect the eyewear computer and its data in case of theft and to identify legitimate users and prove their authenticity, researchers used components the Google Glass already has. Besides a miniature microphone, the device is also embedded with a bone-conduction speaker which transmits sounds to the ear in the same way as special hearing aids do. The new device showed an accuracy of 97 percent, with tests being conducted in a room with no background noise.