Password Pill

Imagine a future where you are a pill each morning so you can open up Gmail without having to type in your password. Yes really, a capsule or tablet can act as a password for your e-mail accounts. Your all passwords just in one pill. A MNC called Motorola recently discovered this new way of securing our digital devices, and the pill for this feature was developed by Proteus Digital Health.

What is password pill?

Password pill consists of a small chip with a switch. This pill is swallowable and can be called as a vitamin authentication system. When the pill is swallowed, stomach acids which act as electrolytes power up the pill. This process causes the switch to go ON and OFF creating an 18 bit ECG signal and thereby making the entire body an authentication token.

Password Pill

Why password pill?

Authentication is irritating, that only about half the people do it. The most annoying part of the internet is probably the fact that you have to memorize close to a dozen passwords to get to all your bank accounts and credit cards and social media profiles. And if you're lazy and just use one, and then it's the worry that if one of those accounts gets hacked, it could easily be all of them. “Electronics are boxy and rigid, and humans are curvy and soft,” Perhaps you attach it to the skin as a tattoo, or you swallow it as a pill. And this is less science fiction than reality, at least in Motorola’s lab and on the D11 stage.

General tendency is that we don’t use unique passwords for each site we visit, many people use plain passwords. Sites will be get hacked these days even if we use very strong passwords. Well if we use above mentioned capsule, our entire body will serve as an authentication device, or in other words we don’t need to remember the passwords.

Working of Password Pill

This pill has a small chip inside of with a switch. Acids in your stomach power it up. The switch goes ON/OFF, and creates a signal in your body, enabling your body to act like an authentication token. The technology we have is entirely made up of ingredients found in food and it will be activated up on swallowing it. Our body powers the swallowed sensor, without any battery and antenna. Our fluids in stomach will act as power source and a unique number will generate bases on this reaction. The capsule we swallowed will identify our heart rate, activity and rest and will send information to the mobile devices which we use.

Possible shortcomings

Electronic pill emits a signal into your body.

Sacrificing security for simplicity (like in case the pill are stolen )

No intake of pills means no access to your accounts.

Advantages of Password Pill

Security

Easy to use

No side effects for the body

Editable password pill

Provides authentication by swallowing a pill.

Password Tattoos/ Digital Tattoos

In short, it is your digital identity. Just like a tattoo, your digital reputation is an expression of yourself. It is formed and added to by you and others over time. Your digital tattoo includes things like websites or blogs you’ve created, tweets, blog comments, your account or screen names and everything else you’ve left on the Internet from your online activities. Just like a real tattoo, a digital tattoo is easy to create but extremely difficult to remove. But it’s also unlike a tattoo in that it’s not always in your control, since other people have the ability to post information about you online. There is nothing wrong with having a digital tattoo – digital tattoos are not bad or dangerous, and positive posts can actually work to enhance your reputation. Plus if there is anything negative about you, it helps to have some positive information to counterbalance it.

Digital Tattoos

Digital Tattoos

The MC10 has done a R&D on digital tattoos, which has an antenna and sensors in it. The tattoo is twisted or stretched, the connections won’t break. This tattoo is water resistance. It won’t get damaged if it contact with water

Working of Digital Tattoos

The above said tattoo can be wearable, a sensor that can be unlock our digital account, Tattoo with digitally generated barcode like image is placed someone’s. An antenna can detect or confirm our device after which it sent out an authentication signal.

Advantages of Digital Tattoos

Transparent sticker

Stretchable circuit

Wearable technology

Waterproof tattoo

Temporary tattoo

Week long electronic sticker

Disadvantages of Digital Tattoos

One of the disadvantages is that since the skin constantly produces new cells, the surface cells die and are brushed off, meaning a new sensor would need to be attached at least every fortnight.

Comparison between Password Pill & Digital Tattoos

The most annoying part of the internet is probably the fact that you have to memorize close to a dozen passwords to get to all your bank accounts and credit cards and social media profiles. And if you're lazy and just use one, and then it's the worry that if one of those accounts gets hacked, it could easily be all of them. Naturally, the pill would pass through your body in about 24hours, so you would have to take the pill on a daily basis.

Your personal information online including, text, video, photo, name, address etc. The tattoo is stretched or twisted, the connections won’t break. It’s also waterproof, which means that even if you are swimming or in the shower, the tattoo won’t be affected.