If you’re someone who struggles to remember more than a few passwords, the power of biometrics could help you. However, security researchers have managed to defeat the likes of fingerprint scanners and facial recognition with things as simple as fake fingers and faces modeled after a photograph.
Fujitsu’s new biometric scanner, on the other hand, has proven virtually impossible to fool. Why? Because it doesn’t scan something that can be seen with the naked eye. Instead, it looks right through your skin to analyse the veins in your hand.
If you weren’t already aware, the pattern of veins in your palm are just as unique as your fingerprints. However, unlike your fingerprints, you can’t leave the pattern of your veins behind when you touch a glass or a doorknob, and it’s virtually impossible to make a convincing fake from a photo.
Even if someone were to overcome this hurdle, they’ll still encounter one major problem. Fujitsu says “the sensor of the palm vein device can only recognise the pattern if the deoxidized haemoglobin is actively flowing within the individual’s veins.” This means without blood flow, there’d be no match.
Fujitsu’s PalmSecure is already in use by several businesses around the world and you can now use it to log into your own computer, too. It’s now supported by Windows 10 so all you need to do is hook it up and you can enroll your palm vein pattern with Windows Hello, just as you would with your fingerprint or your face.
Retailing at around $350 per scanner, they might not be considered the cheapest of devices but they’re a small price to pay if you’re someone who’s concerned with security or looking for the ultimate in convenience.