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Are Fingerprints Just the Start When it Comes to Biometrics?

Google Pixel 6a fingerprint scanner not working Android 13
Source: Pixabay

Biometrics were once a feature of science fiction movies that imagined future technology. Now, they’re creeping into the mainstream. Soon, they will be the most common form of security protocol online and in the real world.
Fingerprint scanners are installed on most modern devices, and they offer a much better security method than passwords. However, this technology could just be a gateway to allow even more advanced methods to come in.

Fingerprint Scanners are Starting to Become Widespread

Biometric data collection has been around for thousands of years. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that fingerprints have been used as a form of identification since 500 BC, showing how our early ancestors even managed to realize that everyone had their own unique imprint. Now, technology has unlocked a variety of new ways to use biometrics. Fingerprint scanners have been around for a while, but they have crept into modern technology like smartphones and laptops more recently.

All the latest devices are coming equipped with fingerprint sensors, and users can simply scan their credentials to gain access. This is a straightforward and superior method of security to passwords, which have become quite cumbersome and can be hacked easily. However, the potential hasn’t been maximized yet, as these scans are not completely synchronized with web pages.

There’s no doubt that fingerprint scanning technology is getting advanced now and, when it is fully incorporated with the internet, it could cause passwords to go obsolete. It will make browsing online much safer, but there will still be limitations. For instance, in the early days, passwords may still be required as a failsafe.

Current Methods Could be Gateway to Better Options

Although it seems like fingerprint scanners could be the most common biometrics of the future, they may act as a gateway to even better options. Indeed, in fifty years’ time, society may look back on fingerprints and view them as rudimentary as passwords are now.

Aside from fingerprints, there are various other forms of biometrics that could be used as a form of identification. Facial recognition technology is already used on state-of-the-art smartphones, but even this may not be the best option for infallible security.

Some of the other methods of gathering people’s biometric data include voice recognition, hand geometry, iris, and retina scanning, gait recognition, typing patterns, and DNA. Each of these options has varying effectiveness.

Could DNA be the Most Effective Biometric?

DNA contains unique genetic codes, and it is the most efficient way to identify a person. That’s why the police always use DNA sampling to solve cases. There’s no doubt that DNA could be the most effective biometric for accessing devices and web pages. However, it would require some advanced innovations for DNA scanning to be implemented in the mainstream.

Iris and retina scanning seems more likely, and this is something that could easily be achieved. Indeed, smartphone and laptop cameras would be able to read this data, and offline establishments like shops and airports could install cameras that track people in this way as well.

Fingerprint scanning will be one of the most common forms of biometric security measures, and there’s no doubt that they’ll revolutionize the online world. This could just be the start, and there might be even more effective options in the future.

About the author

Saman Iqbal

Saman is a law student. She enjoys writing about tech, politics and the world in general. She's an avid reader and writes fictional prose in her free time.







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