[OT] Re: data encryption + Biometric security

Ian Stirling openmoko at mauve.plus.com
Sat Feb 3 19:30:50 CET 2007


Harald Welte wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 01, 2007 at 01:45:55PM -0500, Heilpern, Mark wrote:


> In any case, to get back to the Neo1973, or even future phones:  I don't
> think that there are many sensors that fulfill the following criteria
> 
> 1) full hardware docs (may be under NDA, but allowing GPL software
>    development)
> 2) small enough for a mobile device
> 3) cheap enough
> 4) not easy to fool
> 
> You can probably have two or maybe three conditions fulfilled, but not
> all of them.

There are not-bad options - with something like a 4*256 pixel imager.
Cheap, pretty small, docs - as it's just a camera, easy to fool... Well, 
it's a fingerprint sensor.

There are interesting possibilities to add security to fingerprint sensors.
For example, which finger?

If three fingers of one hand have to be scanned in a particular order, 
or it requires a password afterwards.

Or use it as a little optical mouse backwards, and have a 'signature'.

It can even be used as a substitute for a thumbstick in the normal UI.




More information about the community mailing list