• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

The Social Media Hat

Always On Top Of Social

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Digital Marketing
    • Social Media Articles
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • LinkedIn
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter
      • YouTube
    • Social Media Tools
    • Virtual Events
  • Marketing Resources
    • Newsletter
    • The Virtual Event Strategist Podcast
    • Marketing Hyperdrive Podcast
  • GET HELP
    • Virtual Event VIP Strategy Day
    • Social Media Planner
  • About
  • Search
  • Home
  • Articles
    • Digital Marketing
    • Social Media Articles
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • LinkedIn
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter
      • YouTube
    • Social Media Tools
    • Virtual Events
  • Marketing Resources
    • Newsletter
    • The Virtual Event Strategist Podcast
    • Marketing Hyperdrive Podcast
  • GET HELP
    • Virtual Event VIP Strategy Day
    • Social Media Planner
  • About
  • Search

Will Passthoughts Replace Passwords?

You are here: Home / Social Media Articles / Will Passthoughts Replace Passwords?

July 26, 2013 //  by Mike Allton

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Recent advances in electro-encephalography (EEG) have encouraged an unprecedented level of interest in brain wave research and application development. Now researchers at the UC Berkeley School of Information have developed a way to identify a person’s identity by analyzing brainwaves using commercial EEG hardware.

The idea of using brainwaves to determine a person’s identity is nothing new. Researchers have been investigating EEG-based authentication since 2005, but the UC Berkeley study is the first to demonstrate that an affordable, non-medical EEG
reader can obtain a reliable signal.

The researchers, led by Professor John Chuang, ran a series of experiments in which they tested how such a system of brain wave authentication would work. They used a $200 dollar commercial EEG headset manufactured by Neurosky for the experiments.

Digital fingerprints

The goal was to use EEG technology to distinguish brainwaves and use that as a form of identification instead of a password. The biggest challenge Chuang’s team confronted during the experiments was the fact that modern science is still unsure whether brainwaves are as distinct as — say — fingerprints and retinas.

So the team devised a clever work around. Rather than using generic brainwaves, they asked volunteers to perform a number of mental tasks. These included humming a certain tune, focusing on a dot on a piece of paper, and lifting one finger deliberately up and down, among others.

The researchers then recorded their brain activity and used the distinct pattern of brainwaves generated by each volunteer as a kind of digital fingerprint.

Mr. Chuang explained the process to the BBC recently. “You process them and make decisions about whether this brain wave signal does indeed belong to the individual whose identity is being authenticated,” Chuang said.

The immediate objective of the experiments was not only to achieve an acceptable level of reliability, but also to ensure that recalling certain thoughts was not too confusing for average device users. “We wanted them to say, ‘Yeah, I don’t
mind doing that’,” Chuang said in an earlier interview with Metro.

The researchers found that subjects could have their passthoughts authenticated with an error as low one percent.

While the finding may sound surprising to some, analysts say that — given current knowledge — it makes perfect sense. Apart from variations in our genes, tiny differences in learning and development can change how neurons are connected in each person at the cellular level.

Not a replacement for passwords … yet

Chuang said passthoughts would have a number of advantages over conventional passwords. People cannot determine your passthought by analyzing the smudge patterns on your touch-screen device, for instance. They would also be unable to see your passthought by looking over your shoulder as you log in — a crude and surprisingly common practice among cyber criminals these days.

But you won’t be using a “passthought” to gain access to your business phone apps any time soon. For now, Mr. Chuang says it is still simpler — and probably easier — to rely on a typed password for most commercial computing technologies.

“We implemented an algorithm, or an authentication protocol, and we demonstrated it, but we haven’t really integrated it with any system,” Chuang said. “We don’t see this as a replacement to traditional passwords where we sit down in front of a computer.”

Brain wave authentication may nonetheless prove useful for wearable devices sooner than most people would think. “You can see all these pictures of Sergey Brin wearing this Google Glass,” Chuang told NBC News not too long ago. “What if he puts down his Google Glass, and someone else picks it up? Does that mean someone else can access his photos, start messaging his friends?”

Image courtesy of Zeno_, Flickr.

Related

Category: Social Media Articles

About Mike Allton

Mike Allton is a Content Marketing Practitioner – a title he invented to represent his holistic approach to content marketing that leverages blogging, social media, email marketing and SEO to drive traffic, generate leads, and convert those leads into sales. He is an award-winning Blogger, Speaker, and Author, and Head of Strategic Partnerships at Agorapulse.

Mike is a Virtual Event Consultant and has partnered with Jenn Herman, Stephanie Liu, Amanda Robinson and Eric Butow to write Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing published by Entrepreneur Press.

Free Virtual Event Webinar

10 Benefits of Virtual Events for SaaS Brands
Hosted by  Mike Allton
Most people are hesitant to try virtual events because they don’t understand all the benefits. They think it’s just a webinar or a conference call, but there’s so much more that can be done! 10 Benefits of Virtual Events for SaaS Brands is the answer to your questions. In this webinar, Mike Allton will teach you everything you need to know about virtual events. You’ll learn how to make them work for your company and get everyone on board with the idea.

Join The Community!

17 savvy marketers sign up every day to get the latest social media insights and ideas.


Previous Post: « HootSuite Adds 6 Apps for Analytics and Social Engagement
Next Post: Whoa, Dude, Social Media Gave Us Our Own Interactive Television! »

Primary Sidebar

LISTEN to The Virtual Event Strategist Podcast

Virtual Event VIP Strategy Day

Meet Mike

Mike Allton is a Virtual Event Strategist, and an award-winning blogger, speaker, and author at The Social Media Hat, where he has been educating businesses and organizations on the best use of content marketing for reaching and converting target audiences. He has spearheaded dozens of live shows and virtual events, reaching tens of thousands of potential customers on behalf of represented brands.

Since 2012, Mike has excelled at helping his community understand the nuance and best practices involved in utilizing social platforms, leveraging social media management tools, and creating 10X content. He has established a reputation for being able to explain complex tools or topics in easy to understand ways, all while bringing a necessary sense of overall brand strategy and business purpose.

Featured Posts

Virtual Event Speaker

4 Ways to Impress Virtual Event Speakers – Pro Tips for Success

September 11, 2021 //  by Mike Allton

Reading Time: 6 minutes Support Your Virtual Event Speakers

What Is A Virtual Event

What is a Virtual Event?

August 29, 2021 //  by Mike Allton

Reading Time: 5 minutes The definition, benefits and disadvantages of a virtual event.

How to Choose a Virtual Event Consultant

February 7, 2022 //  by Mike Allton

Reading Time: 4 minutes A good consultant can provide valuable advice & guidance, while a bad one can cause problems and headaches.

More Like This

  • Virtual Event Strategy: Getting Started With Elephantine Events
  • Virtual Events As Powerful Customer Discovery Tools
  • Steal This Virtual Event Plan For A Flawless Event

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Choose Your Virtual Event Platform Before Building Your Agenda
  • Virtual Event Strategy: How To Rally Resources To Help You
  • Virtual Event Planner Options You Need To Consider Today
  • Virtual Event Strategy: Getting Started With Elephantine Events
  • Virtual Events As Powerful Customer Discovery Tools
  • Steal This Virtual Event Plan For A Flawless Event
  • Virtual Event Strategy: How To Narrow Focus To Achieve Broader Goals
  • Virtual Event Strategy: Your Why is Why You’re Unfocused

Key Topics

Agorapulse Bing Blab Blogging Buffer Business Canva Content Marketing Easil Email Marketing Evernote Facebook Google+ Holidays Hootsuite Influencer Marketing Infograph Instagram Klout LinkedIn Live Video Marketing Meerkat Mobile MySpace Pinterest Podcast ROI SEO SnapChat Social Media Marketing Social Pulse Summit Strategy Tailwind Triberr Twitter Video Vine Virtual Event Virtual Event Planning Virtual Event Speakers Virtual Event Strategy Yahoo Yelp YouTube
  • Home
  • Virtual Event Strategy
  • Subscribe
  • About The Social Media Hat
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure

Site Footer

The Virtual Event Strategist Podcast

  • Listen on Apple
  • Listen on Spotify
  • Listen on Amazon
  • Listen on Stitcher
  • Social Media Articles
  • Digital Marketing Articles
  • Social Media Tools & Resources
  • Virtual Events Articles
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2022 The Social Media Hat · All Rights Reserved