These phones aren't made for walking

Stuart Corner
Sunday, 16 October 2005 15:25

Business IT - Technology

Finnish researchers have developed technology which could be embedded into mobile phones, or any other portable powered object that is able to recognise the gait of the owner and shut it down if carried by a thief, or by anyone else.

The new technology has been developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Its developers suggest that, in the future, credit cards may also verify user's identify based on their physical movements before approval of payment transactions. It is claimed to be accurate in 90 percent of cases. When it fails, the legitimate user can bypass it with a password.

The device is equipped with sensors that measure certain characteristics of the user's gait. Its saves the initial data into its memory and continually compares subsequent measurements with these stored values. If they are sufficiently identical, the device identifies and approves the user. If the values differ it will ask for a password.

Agence France Presse quoted VTT spokesman, Olli Ernvall saying that the invention was being patented on "the most important markets", but refusing to disclose which company or companies were interested in its production.