PRESENT-DAY PATENT- A PREVIEW

Authenticate Users Using Smart Vein Identifying Wristbands...

User recognition and authentication via biometrical features like, facial features, the iris patterns, the fingerprints or palmprints and the speaker’s voice or handwriting have become very common now in almost all the security applications for enabling access control, be it in banking, attendance systems, or smart appliances. However, there is yet another biometric feature that is occasionally used, but can impart improved security with no spoof attacks. It is none other than the veins, which are found beneath the skin. The idea behind the vein biometrics, also known as the vascular biometrics, is “Capture the vein patterns as the infra-red light is passed over the skin, so as to create digital patterns for user recognition or authentication”. The lively-captured vein patterns are highly unique that they make it difficult to replicate the same for counterfeiting purposes. Additionally, they are less affected by external lighting conditions. A team of thirteen Indian inventors, including Faizan Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Hyderabad, Telangana have invented a smart vein identifying wrist band. As per this UK-based patent, the near-infrared light that is capable of being absorbed by the hemoglobin in the blood within the veins is passed over an individual's hand or wrist to create unique vein patterns. These vein patterns are then captured using the device’s sensor, converted into a digital template and securely stored in the device's memory or a connected system. So, what the user needs to do to get authenticated or have a granted access to a secure area or transaction? He or she has to just place their wrist near the device again, which captures a new vein map and compares it to the stored template for verifying the user's identity. Hence, the inventors have rendered a highly secure, non- invasive, difficult to spoof, hygienic, quick and convenient recognition or authentication approach for the users. As per the inventors, these wrist bands can aid accurate user authentication in access control systems, financial transactions, healthcare, identity verification, data centres and IT security, educational institutions, event management, personal devices and law enforcement applications. Newer inventions, like the smart vein identifying wristbands, can certainly revolutionize the industries of future and enhance the overall security protocols in both the public as well as the private sectors.