Researchers use bioimpedance as a biometric, let health monitor devices know who you are

Wouldn't it be great if fitness and medical gadgets automatically knew who was wearing them? Researchers from Dartmouth have come up with a new way to provide health monitors just such an ability using a tiny electric current and a bioimpedance sensor. You see, each person's body provides a different amount of opposition to electrical current, so bioimpedance can be a unique biometric identifier. The researchers' idea is to create a bracelet that uses bioimpedance readings to recognize its wearer in a secure, unobtrusive manner and communicate that identity to other wearable devices.

Using such a bracelet, "the devices discover each other's presence, recognize that they are on the same body (and transitively learn from the wrist device whose body), develop shared secrets from which to derive encryption keys, and establish reliable and secure communications." As opposed to other biometrics or password authentication, bioimpedance readings can be taken passively, which is much more appealing than remembering passcodes or scanning fingerprints and retinas. For now, the researchers have created an eight-electrode proof-of-concept bracelet, but its accuracy leaves something to be desired -- it correctly identifies its wearer only 80 to 90 percent of the time, whereas fingerprint recognition has a failure rate of less than 1 in 1,000. So, we're a ways off from bioimpedance-based security, but research is ongoing, and you can learn all about it at the source below.

Filed under: Wearables, Science

Researchers use bioimpedance as a biometric, let health monitor devices know who you are originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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(PR) AOC Introduces the e2752Vh 27-Inch Monitor

The e2752Vh is now available at national retailers including CompUSA and Walmart.com, among others. From August 11 through August 17, the monitor will be available at select retailers including TigerDirect, BestBuy.com, Newegg.com and Amazon.com for $249.99, which is $50 off the MSRP.

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iiyama Intros Energy-Efficient 21.5-inch ProLite HD Monitor

The iiyama ProLite E2278HD packs a TN-film LCD panel that's LED-illuminated. It features 1920 x 1080 pixels native resolution, 5M:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 250 cd/m² maximum brightness, and 5 ms response time. Display inputs include DVI (HDCP-capable) and D-Sub (VGA). Measuring 514.5 mm x 177.5 mm x 369.5 mm (W x D x H), it weighs about 2.7 kg. Its stand allows basic tilting.



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Insert Coin: Sensordrone lets your smartphone monitor temperature, air quality, inebriation

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Sensordrome is an attempt to pair a sensor-heavy dongle with your smartphone. The result is something slightly Star Trek, with the device connecting across Bluetooth to share a wealth of data on what's going on around you. Pledging over $149 to the Kickstarter project will net investors a spot on the first production run, while over $99 will land you a beta version for slightly zealous devs and testers. The sensor array includes some standard offerings like temperature and humidity but it also throws in a light sensor, non-contact IR thermometer and barometer. It can also analyze breath alcohol levels, and detect Carbon Monoxide and even gas leaks. Throw in an expansion connector to open up even more options, including medical equipment like blood pressure monitors, and you can see why it's piqued our interest.

Sensors aside, the gadget will hook-up with Android (other platforms will be considered in the future) and will be able to connect to the likes of Twitter and Facebook. Sensordrone can offer up its data in three different ways; call-respond mode will give you immediate read-outs, while streaming mode will send continuous data to your phone. Data logging mode will store the same data in its built-in memory which can be downloaded later as a .csv file -- and should mean graphs abound. Sensordrone's application software will also be open-source, allowing plenty more apps to utilize that sensor medley in the future. We'd still love a built-in radiation detector though. That aside, you can take a tour of Sensordrone's talents after the break. How can you say no to that face?

Previous project update: Motion-controlled sword-em-up Clang has just under a month left to go and has notched up just shy of $160,000 for the project -- all from under 3,100 backers. However, plenty of support is still needed to reach its heady $500,000 target.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Sensordrone lets your smartphone monitor temperature, air quality, inebriation

Insert Coin: Sensordrone lets your smartphone monitor temperature, air quality, inebriation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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