Biometrics to keep handbags safe

This is very ingenious use of existing technology. I wonder if they will apply it to wallets as well? I have to admit I would have never thought of combing something like this but why not? What other areas, other than computers and/or physical entry into a room/office/building or face recognition for airports, customs, etc., would biometrics be possible? I suppose it could be applied to cars and briefcases (for some reason I keep thinking it has already been applied to high end cars).

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Source: CNN

Biometrics to keep handbags safe

By Julie Clothier for CNN
Wednesday, July 28, 2004 Posted: 11:12 AM EDT (1512 GMT)

A tiny fingerprint-scanner opens the handbag only when it gets a match.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- It might sound like something straight out of a sci-fi movie but pickpockets should beware of a new invention that may put them out of business.

Design graduate Louise Wilson, frustrated after having her own handbag pick pocketed, has used biometrics technology to give handbags the type of security you would expect to surround the Crown Jewels.

The 23-year-old is currently in talks with manufacturers about producing a line of handbags that feature the security device. It could be on shop shelves within 18 months.

Ms Wilson's anti-theft handbag works through a rechargeable battery-powered biometric reader device, which stores fingerprint details of the bag's "registered owner."

The device, which fits inside the lining of a handbag, won't unlock the bag until a fingerprint that it recognizes is touched over a discreet 5cm scanner, using technology similar to that on door security entry systems. Once a match has been made, a sensor flashes green and the bag opens.

Ms Wilson, who graduated from London's Brunel University in industrial design earlier this year, said women often carried "their whole lives" in their handbag and losing all or some of the contents could be devastating.

"I had heard about biometric technology and wanted to apply it to something used in everyday life," she says.

"Being pick pocketed or having your handbag stolen is such a frustrating thing. It's so easy for opportunists to help themselves, especially in noisy, crowded public situations like shopping in a busy street or using public transport."

A recent survey revealed that more than two million British holidaymakers have had their handbag or wallet stolen while traveling abroad. Most of the thefts happened in a public place. Spain was the worst country for crime, followed by France and the Netherlands, according to the survey of 1,004 adults.

Paul Turnock, design director at Brunel University's department of design, said Ms Wilson's design had the potential to become the next must-have fashion accessory and could significantly reduce this type of crime.

The British Government wants biometric information to be included in all new passports issued from 2006, and driving licenses soon after.

Biometrics involves the use of an automated system to verify the identity of someone through physiological or behavioral characteristics, including fingerprint readers, iris scanners and facial recognition devices.

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thanks a pretty good idea, but wont stop the scum slashing the bag with a knife or just grabbing the bag from the person, I suppose if a slash proof mesh is used that could help to prevent it.

it will probably wont stop the dedicated thief, but will deter would be's. Its cool that the technology is small enough to do this, means theres endless possiblitys, such as on suitcases and maybe even things like couriered letters, it could kinda be like the electronic wax seal..

never thought it be that interested in handbags!

i2c

Biometric technology will indeed add a extra level of security to those things and places you mentioned but there is most likely one or more flaws with it. as a example all someone needs to do is make a copy of a authorized finger print from items that are picked up everyday without thinking such as drink glasses books etc. or they could find other ways to get the desired item(s) door computer etc open with out using the finger print.

This does seem like a pretty good idea, but I think if you carry a wallet you may be out of luck in this department. Think about it. When a guy is pick pocketed the whole wallet is lifted. Still a good idea althouh it seems that these new handbags may cost a pretty penny also ;).

The finger print "copy" mechanism can be fixed. The biometric finger print readers I use take a resistance reading of the "bodies" conductive oils. It's not accurate but definitely will tell if the finger is: cut off and used outside the owner or a copy imprinted on tape or something. Even cheap readers can do that. They can be fooled in more sophsisticated ways but hey it's a purse. :) The deal is; now the lady is carrying a 300 dollar purse which is a better target. She might not get pick pocket, but the purse might get snatched. I can tell you first hand, it takes a while to get used to pushing your finger on the thing just right to get a positive ID, and what if the purse gets rained on and you need your keys? I think it's a cool idea, just bringing up ideas.

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. I wonder if they will apply it to wallets as well?

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MsM they're working on that as well. A new invention out there, which might become available to the public as early as January of 2005, is called a Chameleon Card. Its priced at $179 and you can preorder now from their website and get 50% off if you pay in full. Here's some more information on it:

Compatible with any magnetic strip, bar code or smart card
Works with all existing point-of-sale (card reader) technologies
Built-in fingerprint identification prevents fraud and identity theft
Easy to use, with simple touch-screen for card selection
One Chameleon Card can replace all credit cards, ATM cards, customer loyalty cards, transit cards and more
Account information at your fingertips, all the time

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The Pocket Vault Advantage for Consumers

Pocket Vault is the first device of its kind to be made available to consumers. The unique features of the Pocket Vault provide the ultimate consumer value:

* One-Card Convenience

End wallet overflow. Pocket Vault consolidates your credit cards, ATM cards, membership cards, ID cards and department store cards onto one compact, secure device. Keep mass transit cards, family photos and other wallet items on your Pocket Vault for even more convenience.

* Guaranteed Security

The ultimate protection against fraud. Pocket Vault's fingerprint recognition technology means that only one person can access your credit cards: You. And, your fingerprint information never leaves the Pocket Vault making sure your identity is secure and controlled by you.

* Instant Savings

Stop clipping and start saving. Just imagine... coupons, rebates and money saving offers delivered straight to your electronic wallet. And don't worry about expiration dates – Pocket Vault will track them automatically.

* Easy Accounting

Make informed purchasing decisions. Pocket Vault provides access to your latest card balances, interest rates and other account data, so you never go over your limit. Keep your cash flowing in the right direction by transferring your Pocket Vault information directly to your financial management software.

* Convenient Replacement

No need to wait for a new card. Pocket Vault provides a secure backup for your important data and immediate replacement of your wallet contents, if your device is ever lost or stolen.





How It Works

Pocket Vault uses a unique, proprietary combination of technologies to provide a convenient, secure way to use and store all of your traditional wallet items. Here is how it works:

The Equipment

Each Pocket Vault System will include a Chameleon Card, the biometric Pocket Vault device, a rechargable battery, tools to connect Pocket Vault to your computer, and powerful software that will allow you to setup and organize the contents of your Pocket Vault.

Setting Up Pocket Vault

When you first receive your Pocket Vault, you must set yourself up as the owner. Sophisticated software will record the unique characteristics of two of your fingerprints and store them locally on the Pocket Vault. During the setup process, you will also be required to provide identifying information, similar to information requested by credit card companies to verify your identity. This may include name, social security number, birthday and mother's maiden name

After you have initialized your Pocket Vault, you can load your credit cards onto it. Credit and debit cards can only be loaded onto your Pocket Vault while it is docked to a PC or Mac and the legitimate owner of the Pocket Vault has established a secure Internet session. Once you have connected to the Internet, load your cards onto the Pocket Vault by dipping them one-by-one into the Pocket Vault card slot.

The card information is then verified with the original issuers to ensure that all the cards the you are attempting to load are active, in good standing and owned by you. If the card information passes the verification test, the card info is then remotely loaded onto the Pocket Vault.

Using Pocket Vault

Once you have finished loading all of your cards and other wallet items, Pocket Vault is ready to go. When you need to use Pocket Vault, use the touch screen to select the item you wish to use from those you have loaded. Verify your identity by pressing your finger to the Pocket Vault's fingerprint reader. Pocket Vault will then release the Chameleon Card, imprinted with the information of the card you selected.

The Chameleon Card will operate with any point-of-service terminal, card swipe-machine or cash register that works by reading a magnetic strip. Simply swipe it through like an ordinary card. When you have completed your transaction, the Chameleon Card will be cleared of your information automatically. Replace it in the Pocket Vault until the next transaction.

You must reload your Chameleon Card by replacing it in your Pocket Vault after each transaction. For your further protection, if you load a card and fail to execute a transaction, the Chameleon Card will automatically clear after a few minutes have passed

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http://www.chameleonnetwork.com/

I think i'll preorder mine right now :D

knowin your a girl, or 'woman' msmittens, do ya have a handbag? would you use it? seems like you bein bore the technical type you'd mod it and overclock it with some neon lights.

yeah...put neons on it....make it easy to spot during night time...sheesh LOL


Nah but that Pocket Vault looks nice...LOL...i'm so close to preordering it...but I don't like paying for stuff and wait 6 months to get it....maybe I'll have my GF pay for it as a christmas gift :) you get %50 off if you preorder and pay in full when they start collecting balances.

Heh.. I don't use a handbag. It's a pain. I'd rather use a book bag or Camelbak. But if I did, I'd put a wireless on it along with a cam so I can show people where I am (and turning it off during appropriate times). This was actually an idea I had for a robot (a project still to be completed).

problem with the secure bag is it runs the risk of being more expensive than the contents....having thieves nicking it to sell on ebay, defeats the point really...and like other things i can see crims finding fast ways to defeat the locks and contents in the memory. One idea that springs to mind is freezing them so that the lock contracts, possibly leading to change in size (depending on material) and also this puts the semiconductor out of operation temp range so they loose the memory contents, this has been done on a make of car radio.

i2c

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Ms Wilson's anti-theft handbag works through a rechargeable battery-powered biometric reader device, which stores fingerprint details of the bag's "registered owner."

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So what happens when the battery goes flat?
Wouldn't that just defeat the whole purpose of it all, i mean if the battery goes flat wouldn't that make the little scanner reset if a charged battery get's inserted or the original battery get's recharged after the thief let's the bag sitt around for a month or something???
Just thought of that as when you take the battery from the MotherBoard is reset's the settings to default.. So couldn't this be applied to this particular device??

any thoughts anyone?

cheers big ears
.:f2b:.

I bet the socket is on the outside of the bag so you can recharge it which also provides it with power. and the battery is inside for neatness.

i2c

another thing that prove technology has become fashion..

for me, rather than put the biometric reader on a hanbag, why don't just put them on laptops.. who wants to open the laptop, need to verify with their fingerprint... just like in the retro mission impossible series (just don't make it fried when it shutdown LOL)

my RM0.02cents

If biometric readers were implemented into laptops it would drive the cost of them up more then they are now, and for handbags, book bags etc if the person who has stolen it. is not really tech savvy and just really wants to get the contents inside could bypass the lock entirely by either cutting the side of the bag or just cut around the biometric reader device itself.

Biometric technology is still pretty new out there. It might increase the price of the laptop...but once it becomes more widely used, its price will go down. Thats the same with any new type of technology. (DVD players for example)

True that is true of course most average people are not going to be able to afford to buy Biometric technology so it will be awhile before it does come down in price. but the people who have to have every new gadget that comes out or have more money then they know what to do with will have it, I am sure they will be the ones who will have to deal with the glitches that come up. I can see it now A guy buys a 10,000 brief case with his presentation and other important documents locked securely inside and he has a meeting to go to in 8 minutes and he has been on the phone with tech support for about 20 minutes and nothing they have told him so far has worked to get the case open. That would be funny.

i2c,

I think that you are developing a very good argument, in that the device is worth more than its contents..............or more importantly, the possession is a better status symbol............

Now you can all by these £70 (GBP) trainers that are made for bugger all in far eastern sweatshops............or you can get the same thing without the "designer" name for about a tenth of the price........

We certainly have cases of kids being mugged for their trainers and mobile phones?

I won't go any further down this road...............I will only pi$$ people off :)

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Originally posted here by i2c
I bet the socket is on the outside of the bag so you can recharge it which also provides it with power. and the battery is inside for neatness.

i2c

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That would be the best place to put it, of course the only way to truly find out is when they start releasing photos and more information about the product.

This is a miss use of a good piece of technology. A pointless gadget, with no real use. It will not stop your handbag being stolen and it will not stop you missplacing it.

Now combile the biometric technology with a self destruct mechanism and you have something that would be worth something.

Let's face it if you have your credit/debit cards, cheque book, cash what ever in your hand bag and it gets stolen. There is always the possibility the thief can access your bank account and if you carry keys etc, they can also gain access to your car, home etc.

Now if they try to open it with the wrong finger print and it blowes up, woo hoo.

lol...refer to my first post in this thread and see a good use biometric technology.

Even better if it takes the buggers hand off..lol

Yeah that would teach unauthorized people a very good lesson to never to touch another persons personal property that does not belong to them.but on the other hand (no pun intended) a strong electric shock would be a better security feature as it will prevent anyone from trying to force it open.

Unless they use tools with rubber handles.

Good point The Grunt I just typed in the electric shock feature just for a laugh. but there are some people out there that don't think before they act.

how about we put flamethrowers in the bag....that will keep the bastards away!

Most likely the worst thing that would happen is that it will burn off all their hair eyebrows Etc. I doubt they would implement such a device for reasons that it might prematurely go off. and destroy the contents if any that are in the bag Etc.

I once knew someone who put smoke grenades operated by a pager under there car seat, cos he hated theives....bit extreme if you ask me but if you were cruising down the fast lane and suddenly the car filled with smoke youd either

A) crash and die
B)have the police woundering why your car was full of smoke
C) crash and die.

could do similar with a handbag but i doubt many women would like to carry an electrically operated firework around with them....wrong number calls would really wind u up then..

i2c