A new partnership between Siam Smartphone and Descartes Biometrics is promising a new mobile strong authentication solution:ear recognition.
Called ERGO, the ear biometric authentication technology that serves the usual post-password demands that are finding traction in the world of consumer mobile devices. The novel biometric technology guards the lock screen of Android smartphones and is available as a software development kit (SDK).
ERGO is a software solution that leverages a smartphone’s touchscreen as a biometric sensor. A user presses her ear to the screen in order to authenticate. It’s a simple and familiar motion that – if coupled with a virtual assistant – has potential appeal for people who primarily use their phones in a traditional “phone call” context.
Though the new biometric mode may seem gimmicky to some, ERGO is indicative of the relationship the partners wish to pursue: one that encourages open-mindedness and experimentation for the purposes of innovation.