A New Furturistic Toy for our Computers

Wow, the future is here.

Just like in the movie "Minority Report," where iris recognition is used to gain access to top secret files, you'll soon be able to log in to all of your personal accounts in the blink of an eye -- literally. A New York-based company unveiled a new product called EyeLock --- calling it the first and only portable iris-scanning device for consumers.

Here's how it works: The device, which is the size of a standard business card and weighs about four ounces, comes in the form of a USB drive. Once you install the program and decide which applications to EyeLock, you hold the wand-like scanner in front of your eye, and automatically log in to any password-protected site on your computer. No password required. You can even keep your glasses on.

Iris recognition makes it much more secure for consumers to access personal information -- and eliminates the risk of fraud.

"Every time you log in, it reads your iris and creates a unique key, which is a series of numbers, and this key changes every time you log in, so no one can hack it," said a company marketing representative. While the government and certain financial institutions have tried to implement the idea of eye scans, it's never been developed for consumers. And, according to the representative, fingerprint security just doesn't cut it. While fingerprints have somewhere around 18 unique points that allow you to identify who they belong to, your iris has 2,000 points.

Not only does this technology keep your information safer, it eliminates the need for keeping track of multiple screen names and passwords. Naturally the manufacturer is hopeful that the idea will catch on. "Change is always a shock for people, and there is always going to be some resistance, but once they see all that it can do and how easily it will protect their identities, their money and their families, I think it will catch on," they said.

Of course, the idea of using a body part to access bank accounts can evoke fears of gruesome crimes, but the company promises that only a living person's eye will work with the EyeLock. "If someone kills you, it won't work, because once you die your eye automatically flattens so your iris isn't the same," said the rep.

EyeLock will cost $99 for consumers. The manufacturer has not announced a release date, but said details would be coming soon. The company has already created an iris-scanning product that is used in airport security across the country, and they are already looking into ways to expand the service to other areas, like mobile.

In addition, another company is starting to market a similar product for ATM machines. Consumers will be able to access their bank accounts at a physical branch, ATM or online using only their iris.

Live Long and Prosper.....