Thinking your password: New computers that can identify you by your thoughts
“Instead of typing your password, in the future you may only have to think your password, according to School of Information researchers. A new study explores the feasibility of brainwave-based computer authentication as a substitute for passwords.”
This would be really interesting to see what happens when you forget your password, or how it could be applied to aging populations. The article continues:
“In recent years, security researchers have proposed using electroencephalograms (EEGs), or brainwave measurements, for computer authentication, replacing passwords with “pass-thoughts.”
This may work better for people losing their memories, passwords, or thought processes. Or if it holds while those degrade. It uses tasks, rather than passwords, so these may be easier to remember, whatever state of aging a user may be in.
“The key to the success of a brainwave authentication system, then, is finding a mental task that users won’t mind repeating on a daily basis. Researchers found that users would prefer to repeat tasks that are fairly easy but not too boring. Users’ favorite tasks included counting objects of a specific color, imagining singing a song of their choice, or simply focusing on their own breathing.”
