Your Distinctive Breath "Fingerprint" Could Be Used To Unlock Phone: Study

Mahesh Panchagnula at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai initiated experiments with breathing data recorded by air pressure sensor.

The turbulence in the air generated during breathing has the potential to serve as a viable biometric authentication method for unlocking smartphones and other devices. What adds a unique aspect to this approach is its morbid advantage; unlike other tests like fingerprint scans, it cannot be passed by a dead person.

Mahesh Panchagnula and his team at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai initiated experiments with breathing data recorded by an air pressure sensor out of sheer curiosity. Initially aimed at developing an AI model capable of identifying individuals with respiratory issues for medication purposes, the data unexpectedly revealed a wealth of information beyond their initial expectations.

New Scientist reported that the researchers at IIT Madras recorded 10 breaths from each of 94 human test subjects, using an air pressure sensor to take readings 10,000 times a second. That data was then fed into the AI model.