Skull echoes offer solution to current password systems

It's hard to keep track of all the passwords required for the multiple accounts we use on a daily basis. A German research group called Perceptual User Interfaces is trying to address the failure of password systems using a biometric system that is able to identify someone by picking up his or her unique echo of the skull.

The group believe that SkullConduct could revolutionise current privacy and security procedures. The system works together with a headset device like Google Glass optical head-mounted display, to read a skull’s unique echo. A calculated sound pattern is played to cause a series of reverberations that bounce back a sound and create an echo that is completely unique to the user. Once set up, the device will be able to recall the pattern of the echo again when re-worn. This means that the password will actually be hidden in your skull.

At this stage, the SkullConduct study into bone conduction is still in an experimental phase and it has only been tested on a group of ten people. However, the results show promise for the future of the new technology as the test users were able to unlock their devices using Google Glasses 97% of the time. This skull conduction device could also be tested with various kinds of electronic devices.