Biometric security is a way of using unique parts of your body, like a fingerprint, face, or even voice, to prove who you are. This technology is like having a secret handshake with a machine that only you can perform, ensuring that only the right and correct persons are able to access valuable things such as phones or computers or even enter certain places. It’s much cooler and safer than using a regular key or regularly remembering one’s password. After all, a key can be copied, or any fairly intelligent person can usually suss out what kind of word you’re likely to use. However, the length of someone’s finger and the exact pattern on it, for example, are not easily copied.
One common biometric security example is the fingerprint scanner for smartphones. When setting up, an option is often offered to have the phone scan your fingerprint and save it. Then every time you want to unlock your phone, you just touch the scanner. The phone checks that the fingerprint matches what is stored, and if it does, it unlocks. This way, even if someone knows your password they cannot get into your phone without your fingerprint.
Facial recognition is another type of biometric security that is becoming increasingly popular. Some phones and computers are equipped with special cameras to film your face. They use the shape of your head, the distance between your eyes, and so on to work out who you are. Then, when you want to access your device, simply look at its camera. If the system recognizes you, it unlocks. This technology is also used in airports and other places to help establish identity and make sure your papers are at least in order.
Voice recognition is used in many homes with devices like smart speakers. When you set one of these up, it learns how your voice sounds. When you speak something to it, it listens as well to make sure that the voice matches. This is very convenient for things like asking for the weather, playing music or turning lights on and off with just your voice. It’s a way to be sure that the device only listens to you or people you’ve given permission.
Biometric security is also used in ways that seem like science fiction. For example, some high-security buildings have retina scanners. These devices look at the pattern of blood vessels in your eye—a unique identifier for each individual. To get in, you just look at the scanner. If it matches your eye to what is on file, the door unlocks. It’s like something out of a spy movie, but it’s real and used mainly in places that require very stringent security.
Biometric security makes our lives in many ways more convenient. Instead of having to remember a whole bunch of passwords or carry around keys, we can simply use ourselves to open doors and unlock devices. As technology improves further we shall witness an even greater number of ways biometrics can be used to protect our precious things proving that perhaps the most effective key to safety is simply you yourself.