3D biometric systems that scan fingerprints, faces and heads have become commonplace on modern devices. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Researchers from Rutgers University have developed a new biometric system called VitalID that reads skull vibrations without the need for new hardware.
Studies have found that the human skull vibrates at a unique frequency because each individual has a different breathing pattern, heartbeat and skull shape and thickness. Therefore, each person's skull vibration is unique.
VitalID was developed specifically for headsets that are predicted to be more widely used. The iris scanning system and facial topography used today are found to be slow. The VitalID system uses existing accelerometer sensors to detect skull vibrations all the time.
It can work in the background to verify the same user every session and also detect if they are still alive. Theoretically, the system could be programmed to close the application immediately in a situation where the user is forced to access a bank account and then someone else uses the headset to steal funds.
This system is still just a study with no plans to be used on headsets in the near future.
