Future Cell Phone Knows You By Your Walk

jangobongo writes "Researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have come up with a unique way to secure your cell phone if it should get lost or stolen: 'Gait code'. Motion sensors in the phone would monitor the walking pattern (or gait) of whoever is in possession of the phone, and if the 'gait' doesn't match a pre-established biometric the phone would require a password to operate. The prototype cell phone correctly identified when it was being carried by someone other than its owner 98% of the time. The research team points out (powerpoint document) that this method could also work for PDAs, laptops, USB tokens, smart cards, wallets, suitcases, and guns."

cool tech, but dumb implementation

[Junior J. Junior III]

If the gait biometric fails, and the system falls back to a password, then the system is still no stronger than a password based authentication scheme. So why add the extra complication and expense that developing this technology must surely add?

Great.

[The Fanta Menace]

So, someone gets hit by a car, struggles to their feet, limps along a bit and then pulls out their phone to call for help... and it doesn't work.

Nice one.

Re:cool tech, but dumb implementation

[Mad Merlin]

If the gait biometric fails, and the system falls back to a password, then the system is still no stronger than a password based authentication scheme. So why add the extra complication and expense that developing this technology must surely add?

Because the device isn't secure at all when the owner turns off the password protection because they're tired of entering their password. If they only have to enter it 2% of the time, they're less likely to disable it.

I think we can both agree that password protection is better than nothing.

Used to detect drunkenness

[ThinkingInBinary]

I R'dTFA, and they said that one of the things that alters the user's gait "code" is when they're drunk. If you paired a Bluetooth phone with a car, and added this, it could be a biometric way of making sure someone doesn't drive drunk. Just a thought.

Doesn't work in airports

[G4from128k]

And if you are lugging a carry-on and a laptop bag on the way to your flight, what stops the phone from deciding you are not you because the added weight changes your gait? TFA said the false alarm (accidental lockout) rate was 4%. I'd bet the rate is much worse if you are carrying something (suitcase, kid, groceries, etc.)

The Slashdot Obvious (tm)

[Roofus]

Time for 100 different posters to point out 200 different situations where they think this technology will fail.

And it all must be true, because the engineers who spent years designing this must be complete idiots, and would never think of these things on their own.

Ready, set, go!

Wouldn't voiceprint be a lot easier?

[LaughingCoder]

I mean really. It's a phone. Have it recognize my voice. Why have it recognize my walk? But this does give me an idea - why not a pair of shoes that cause blisters if they don't recognize my voice? You have to keep talking to them or they tighten up on you. Maxwell Smart (rest his soul) was on to something I think.

Re:Better biometric than fingerprints?

[mattcurrie]

Couldn't this "bug" simply be a video camera? That would be even worse than fingerprints as you would only need to spot someone walking in a public place to capture this biometric information.

Re:Used to detect drunkenness

[TheRaven64]

What about when you put it in your bag? There is a different rhythm for something being carried in a bag or a coat pocket. What about when you run? What about when you're in a car? Hell, what about when you're in a lift, or in an escalator? Does jumping over a puddle trigger this?

ever notice...

[xmodem_and_rommon]

Ever notice how when you enter your PIN # when you turn on your phone, you can still dial 911 or 112 or whatever? even without a pin? Even without a SIM card? Or how you can still dial the emergency numbers when your phone's keylock is on? I expect this would work in the same way.

critics missing the point

[cinnamon colbert]

I think all the critics of this are right, yet they are missing the point, which is not even that the std pin is the backup

Technology succeeds largely if it panders to one of the dominant human traits - lazyness.
If the gait thing means i can save 5 secs, or maybe more on a cold day with gloves that have to be taken off, it will have a good chance in the market.

Re:cool tech, but dumb implementation

[Idarubicin]

I don't see what advantage this has over, say, fingerprint authentication. I pick up my phone, finger print is verified as I hold it, and off we go.

Up in Canada, it's nice to not have to take off your gloves. It's cold outside, and if you're carrying stuff in your other hand it can be difficult to do. (You end up trying to place a call with a glove held in your teeth.)

Also, a fingerprint scanner involves a surface on the telephone's exterior that has to be kept fairly clean and is vulnerable to pointy things. The gait monitor discussed here can be entirely internal.