Phones to 'recognise owner'


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Helsinki - Finnish researchers on Thursday presented new technology designed to prevent thefts of cellphones and laptops, using biometrics to recognise the gait of the device's owner.

A sensor-based so-called "gaitcode" embedded in the device registers and memorises the movements of the owner in three-dimensional form, and is reliable in 90% of cases, the researchers said.

If it does not recognise the walk, it asks for a password. If given an incorrect password, the device automatically locks itself down.

The gaitcode can also be used in a smartcard, attache case, weapon or USB device.

"We think that if it is no longer useful for a person to steal somebody else's mobile device, the number of crimes will decrease," professor Heikki Ailisto of the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland told a press conference.

More than 300 000 cellphones are stolen each year in Britain and some 100 000 in both Germany and Sweden, according to statistics for recent years given by VTT.

The technology can also be connected to a voice-recognition system.

VTT spokesperson Olli Ernvall said the invention was being patented on "the most important markets", but refused to disclose which company or companies were interested in its production.



Article submitted by: Some1
Last Update: 10-14-2005
Category: Extra Stuff

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