Biometric Technologies (Score 1)

I recently saw a demonstration of biometric technologies. They briefly mentioned iris scanning and an implementation of controlling computer access based on fingerprints. But that is stuff everyone is familiar with. They showed us 2 really cool devices that I didn't know existed.

The first was a signature analysis system. They tell you to sign on a pad. The computer tracks where you start your signature on the pad (top left, middle, bottom, etc, etc). It also looks at the pressure you exert on the pad at different points in your signature. So it would notice if you pressed especially heavily on the up swoop of an "I". I think that it also looks at your signature rythym. And then the final step is the most obvious check: does the signature look like the one you have on file.

The great thing about signature analysis is that people might be more comfortable sharing data that could only be used to identify them if they WANTED to be identified. Also the discomfort of having your iris scanned can be avoided.

The last technology they showed us was an entire hand scanner. They didnt demo it, but it looks at the positioning of your knuckles and the size of the hand.