There is, it seems, no part of the human body that is not totally unique when subject to close examination. While smart card companies cannot think beyond fingerprints or eyes to authenticate the user, evidence has emerged the ear is another body part that deserves a hearing. A London housebreaker called Calvin Sewell is now serving a prison sentence because, while he did leave his fingerprints behind, his ears were his downfall. Before breaking into the house, Sewell was in the habit of pressing his ear against a door or window to make sure that no-one was at home. So when forensic experts dusted for fingerprints, they were surprised to find a clearly visible ear print. Once Sewell was nabbed, police took a plastic mould of his ear and it matched perfectly with the prints at the scene of the crime. The perfect solution for smart cards therefore would be for users to authenticate them by pressing it to their ear – and listen to the sound of money.
