Scientists can send password info through the human body

SEATTLE — University of Washington scientists have developed a way to transmit password data using the human body instead of via wireless air transmission.

The researchers used the fingerprint technology to transmit data through the body, reported Engadget. They say this could be used to perform security checks such as authentication for door locks.

According to Engadget, the technique uses trackpads and smartphone fingerprint sensors to send low-frequency electromagnetic transmissions through the body instead of the air. The researchers note that these on-body transmissions could also be used to send password information to wearable technology.

The findings were presented last month in a paper at the 2016 Association for Computing Machinery’s International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing.