Motorola has announced it is
looking at alternatives to
traditional passwords in a
bid to make logging into
online sites, or accessing
mobile phones, more secure.
Among the ideas discussed at
the D11 conference in
California on Wednesday
were
electronic tattoos and
authentication pills that
people swallow.
The tattoos, developed by
Massachusetts-based
engineering firm MC10,
contain flexible electronic
circuits that are attached
to the wearer's skin using a
rubber stamp.
A researcher at
the University of Illinois
used standard CMOS
semiconductor computer chip
technologies to create the
Biostamp.
The Biostamp
can monitor temperature,
hydration and strain,
among other medical
statistics.
The first
prototypes were stuck on
using an plaster-style
patches.
More recent
prototypes are applied
directly to the skin
using a rubber stamp.It
can then be covered with
spray-on bandage to make
it more durable and
waterproof enough to
wash. The MC10 Biostamp
is said to last up to
two weeks before it
starts to come loose.
Motorola claims that
the circuits, which also
contain antennae and
built-in sensors, could
be adapted to work with
mobile phones and
tablets.
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
contains a computer chip
and a switch.
Once swallowed, the acid
in the wearer's stomach
causes electrolytes to
turn the switch on and
off. This creates an
18-bit ECG-like signal
that can be picked up by
mobile devices and
authentication hardware
to verify the wearer is
the correct owner of the
device or account. It
can also monitor heart
rate.
