The next time you need to access important files for your mobile device the only thing you might need is your skin, according to the Telegraph. Motorola’s Chief Executive Dennis Woodside, suggested the use of tattoos instead of passwords at the D11 conference in California Thursday.
Constructed with bendable circuits that can be placed on human skin, the new tattoos could change the way users gain access to electronic devices. They have been created by MC10, an engineering firm based in Massachusetts.
Motorola is attempting to take technology that was previously intended for health-related issues and use the tattoos—labeled “Biostamps”—to confirm the identity of those who use the company’s devices.
“Authentication is irritating. In fact it’s so irritating only about half the people do it, despite the fact there is a lot of information about you on your smartphone, which makes you far more prone to identity theft,” said Regina Dugan, senior vice president of advance research for Motorola and former director of the United States Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
In addition to the tattoos, Motorola is also looking at the Proteus Digital Health pill. The pill, which has already been approved both in the U.S. and Europe, has a computer chip that runs on the acid in a stomach. The pill—of which it has been said could be taken every day for about 30 days—can send out that signal. This can be used to authenticate a user’s identity.
According to Dugan, it usually take around 2.3 seconds to identify a Motorola device user—who can type in their phone’s password at approximately 100 times a day. Dugan added that she understands some users may call what Motorola is proposing a bit “creepy.”
Other technology proposed by Motorola is the new Moto X phone that is expected to launch this October. According to the Google-owned company the phone will be extremely perceptive when it comes to your needs but will come at a much cheaper price than the iPhone.
