Researchers at the University of Oxford have explored the possibility of using individuals’ physical activities to securely login to PCs and smartphones.
Called electronically Defined Natural Attributes (eDNA), the string of physical behaviour may enable detection of when an individual has consumed drugs, had sex, or if they might be at risk of a heart attack within the three months’ duration.
Oxford BioChronometrics chief executive, Adrian Neal, was quoted by the Guardian as saying: "Electronic DNA allows us to see vastly more information about you.
"Like DNA it is almost impossible to fake, as it is very hard to go online and not be yourself.
"It is as huge a jump in the amount of information that could be gathered about an individual as the jump from fingerprints to DNA. It is that order of magnitude."
The eDNA would ultimately be used to enable an individual to login on any PC or mobile device, by authenticating their identity.
Oxford BioChronometrics president David Scheckel said that eDNA would be able to spot whether a click on an advert or a site is from an automated programme, or so-called bot, or a real human.
"We can hold companies like Google and Facebook to account ,and they know this technology is coming," Scheckel added.
