Vein-reading keyboard raises the security bar

Now that we've learned not to rely on Microsoft's Fingerprint Reader for our valuable ones and zeros, we're turning towards finger and palm vein reading as the next evolution in data security. This is not the Psychic Hotline type of palm reading that you might be envisioning, but rather refers to devices that use infrared light to scan and algorithms to encode the unique vein pattern on each person's palm or fingers. You can already access your laptop, your bank account, your car, and even your local library with vein identification systems, so it seems natural that your desktop should also get the same level of hardened security- and now it has, in the form of what Akihabara News dubs "the vampire keyboard." Eschewing a numberpad for the vein scanner, this particular keyboard is of the finger scanning variety, so you only lose a digit instead of the whole hand when the bad guys wanna get at your infoswag goodies. Doubt we'll see this over here, so for now it seems we're still stuck with tech that's hackable using a child's toy.

[Brian @ Mar 10th 2006 4:07PM]

Time to bust out the gummi veins.

[Zeek @ Mar 10th 2006 4:12PM]

Plus if you're a guy, you've got the eleventh veiny digit to schmeg up the keyboard with, too.

[Mike @ Mar 10th 2006 4:58PM]

@ #2

Don't think it'll fit...

[Saintless @ Mar 10th 2006 5:15PM]

Why must this be included on the keyboard? It's not something you use continuously, as you would keyboard keys. If you must have it multi-functional, build it into the wristrest of the keyboard. I think it should come as a combo package with a monitor that does a retinal scan, though.

[The icollector @ Mar 10th 2006 5:44PM]

Make the keyboard more attractive and I'll look at it twice.

[sockatume @ Mar 10th 2006 6:45PM]

Something you have, something you know, something you are. Take two.

[PaqZa @ Mar 11th 2006 12:46AM]

"...this particular keyboard is of the finger scanning variety, so you only lose a digit instead of the whole hand when the bad guys wanna get at your infoswag goodies..."

Veins will most likely be rendered undreadable correctly if the digit was severed...

[Craigermike @ Mar 11th 2006 2:05AM]

Why veins? Veins change with age and with stimulation. If I went to the gym and did 100 curls then my veins would be larger than normal. Or if I was a red meat eater and my veins were clogged then I would be locked out of my important docs forever...just because I ate red meat. Who thought of this anyway?

[Justin Bell @ Mar 12th 2006 7:45AM]

Craigermike: Are you telling me that you have some sort of scientific proof that the position of the veins in you fingers change fast enough to make this idea useless?