While Apple is happy boasting about the adoption of fingerprints based security in its latest Apple iPhone 5C, scientists have developed software called Silent Sense that can help a device identify users based on their touchscreen usage pattern and style. The way a user manages or uses the touchscreen is different from how another person would, and gathering usage data the software Silent Sense creates user profiles to identify who is using a device.
Silent Sense uses the phone’s Sensors such as Accelerometer and gyroscope in combination with the touchscreen sensors to get a more accurate mapping of the usage. It records the unique pressure, duration and fingertip size and position each user exhibits.
Once the system has enough information over the usage pattern it can potentially be made to monitor the device and its security. Thus, if the software recognizes the users and if it sees any new pattern in place of its regular user it automatically blocks the person, potentially saving the device from data theft.
The developers have also tested the application and the software with multiple users and as New Scientist reports the software Silent Sense has been able to return almost 99 per cent accuracy.
The application definitely is a big step towards improvement of security and smart security, and how well manufacturers adopt this still waits to be seen.