EEG signatures are the new fingerprint scans

If you think (er, know) that fingerprint scanners just aren't up to snuff with your strict demands, a team of European scientists are developing a novel replacement for biometric security. Dimitrios Tzovaras and his colleagues at the Center for Research and Technology Hellas in Greece have established a system which relies on measured activity in the brain to form a security protocol that's "difficult to forge." Since electroencephalography (EEG) measurements are unique for every person, users begin by having their brain activity recorded and analyzed, producing an "EEG signature" which can then be used to allow or deny entry into buildings, data centers, or other top secret locales. The catch is that employees would be forced to walk around with a wired helmet on their noggin, which could "potentially chang the ambiance of the workplace" according to a researcher at the University of Cambridge. Notably, the method is just one of the security layers that are being scrutinized as a part of the Human Monitoring and Authentication using Biodynamic Indicators and Behavioral Analysis (HUMABIO) project going on in Europe, which aims to "combine several different biometrics to create a more efficient and secure overall system." Of course, there's still some kinks to be worked out, especially considering that brain patterns are extremely dependent on "alertness," and we seriously hope they develop a less invasive (and gaudy) alternative to forcing blokes to rock oddly-shaped headgear as a part of their job.

[foxdude @ Jan 17th 2007 9:20AM]

Till you pull a Demolition man tactic and cut someones eye out with a pen, and the person's password happens to be simple as teddy bear ;)

[hello @ Jan 17th 2007 2:33AM]

yay, im the first commenter. This is dumb, isn't it less expensive to use people to confirm ID than develop this (or any other thingy like this)?

[syber @ Jan 17th 2007 3:02AM]

well the id and password can be used by anybody, your head can be used only by u. nobody can steal it and of course they can make a barier thay if the system sens fear or presure to block access to the system. the funiest part is that the users of the system have to use headsets it must look like scifi movies.

[gz @ Jan 17th 2007 9:01AM]

That's taking it to an extreme, but I think mobile phones (or whatever device becomes our ultimate device for mobile communication) could be a more incremental step in improving identification. New York Times desribed one specific use case in the link below, and I blogged about the more general theory in the other link below.

http://blog.nextblitz.com/blog/2007/01/mobile_phone_as.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/technology/16wireless.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin

[Dhomas @ Jan 17th 2007 10:54AM]

By the way, the article linked to "EEG" refers to an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). An EEG and an EKG are very different: one measures heart rate (EKG) and the other measures brain activity (EEG). Just thought a little clarification was in order.

[Lazarus Dark @ Jan 17th 2007 10:57AM]

The problem with all electronic security of this type is that the device itself must actually have the key, meaning the 'signature' whether that is the fingerprint or eeg is actually stored in memory. If the device can be hacked then the key is stored in its own memory and available to the hacker.

[Rainier @ Jan 17th 2007 11:00AM]

It looks like that guy is having his hair hi-lited.

[Andrew Jones @ Jan 17th 2007 11:05AM]

Is it just me or does this device look surpisingly similiar to the one in space balls?
(http://triplerocksocialclub.com/images/photos/halloween_2005/0007_0013.jpg)
Just sayin...

[TIMMAH! @ Jan 17th 2007 12:39PM]

Yeah that's great until the next hit of meth or ecstasy screws up your access...

[glacia @ Jan 17th 2007 12:41PM]

I worked at a site for a couple of years that had a retina scanner. A coworker asked the guard "what do you do if somebody just cuts out somebody's eye and uses it."

"If somebody walks up with a bloody eyeball I'm giving him a visitor badge."

At any rate I'm not sure it would work once the blood vessels collapse.