Security in a Heartbeat: Texas Tech Researcher develops “cardiac password”

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From passwords, thumbprints, retina scans, to facial recognition, there’s no shortage of identity authentication features for phones and computers. But Changzhi Li, a researcher from Texas Tech University, envisions an even more intimate security method: a “cardiac password” which can identify users by their heart waves.

Existing security measures are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Hackers have consistently proven their ability to hack passwords and use fake thumbprints to gain unauthorized access and penetrate existing security defenses. Countermeasures for increased cyber security, however, are often invasive and inconvenient, such as requiring users to continuously re-log in or re-scan their thumbprints every few minutes. Instead, the project, developed by Li under Wenyao Xu from the University of Buffalo, seeks to create a method that is both secure and user-convenient.

Theoretically, the “cardiac password” would work similar to a police radar that measures the speed of a car but instead measures the speed of a heartbeat and how that movement changes over time. Xu said, “No two people with identical hearts have ever been found.” Building on the assumption that each person has his or her own unique heart and waveform, the “cardiac password” involves releasing a radio frequency signal to measure and authenticate the user’s signature heartbeat. When the user walks away from the computer or if another person attempts to log in, the device would automatically lock down.

The “cardiac password” would not be invasive since it would continuously authenticate the user without the user’s active participation. Li explained, “This system does not ask people questions or require us to do anything like type in a password or do a finger scan or face scan. You just do whatever you want to inside your office, and the system sends out a signal to check out your cardiac waveform without letting you know it is doing it.” The signals would also be less powerful than Wi-Fi and the radiation from cellphones and therefore, would not pose a severe health concern.

This project is still in its development stages. The team is currently testing different sensitivity devices and hardware that could be used for the “cardiac password.” From there, Li would better assess the feasibility of the project. He also recognizes that the project would need to account for signal changes in the user’s heartbeat, such as aging or pacemakers. Li and Xu hope the “cardiac password” would one day be used for computers, cell phones, and even in airport identification.

Are you also engaging in R&D experiments to develop new cyber-security measures? Did you know that If you conduct your R&D projects in universities, you could receive up to an additional 20% credit for your expenses? To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today.

 

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE credits as well as CPE credits for CPA’s.  For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

North Carolina R&D project receives $1.47m Grant

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SeaTox Research Inc. and the University of North Caroline Wilmington (UNCW) have collaborated in an R&D study to further develop toxin tests for seafood.

The study has now received a $1.47 million R&D grant, which will provide significant advancement in its ability to detect neurotoxins from harmful algal blooms that make people sick when they eat contaminated fish and shellfish.

The tests are designed to be used by research groups and regulatory agencies to monitor toxin content in fisheries to protect the public from the detrimental effects of neurotoxins.

SeaTox Research Inc. is a biotechnology company located in UNCW’s CREST Research Park. It is involved in assay development and pharmaceutical R&D utilizing materials, originating from the marine environment.

Assay development involves inventing and designing scientific tests, modifying the tests to optimize efficiency and then validating those tests with a large pool of data to determine effectiveness.

The university’s strategic plan includes innovation as one of its core values as this is a commitment to continuous improvement and breakthrough advances to ensure distinctiveness.

To find out more about R&D or to determine whether you may be eligible for an R&D Tax Credit Contact a Swanson Reed specialist to see if you qualify.

Minnesota Researchers Develop Groundbreaking Process

petrochemical industries.

A groundbreaking one-step, crystal growth process for making ultra-thin layers of material with molecular-sized pores, has been developed by a team of researchers at the University of Minnesota. Researchers demonstrated the use of the material, called zeolite nano-sheets, by making ultra-selective membranes for chemical separations.

This new discovery could  improve the energy-efficiency of chemical separation methods used to make everything from fuels to chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

“Overall, we’ve developed a process for zeolite nano-sheet crystal growth that is faster, simpler, and yields better quality nano-sheets than ever before,” said Michael Tsapatsis, the lead researcher on the study. “Our discovery is another step towards improved energy efficiency in the chemical and petrochemical industries.”

Today, most chemical and petrochemical purification processes are based on heat-driven processes like distillation. These processes are very energy-intensive. For example, chemical separations based on distillation represent nearly 5 percent of the total energy consumption in the United States.

Several companies and researchers are developing more energy-efficient separations based on membranes that can separate molecules based on size and shape. One class of these membranes is based on zeolites, which are silicate crystals that have pores of molecular dimensions. However, the multi-step processes for manufacturing these membranes are costly and difficult to scale up, and commercial production remains a challenge.

The researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed the first-ever, bottom-up process for direct growth of zeolite nano-sheets, which can be used to make high quality molecular sieve membranes. The new material, is only about five nano-meters in thickness, and several micrometers wide. The new nano-sheets also grow in a uniform shape making it much easier to make the membranes used in chemical purification.

Mi Young Jeon, the first author of the study describes the new material as being like tiling a floor with large, uniform tiles compared to small, irregular chips of tile. Jeon explains that uniform-shaped zeolite nano-sheets also make a much higher-quality membrane with surprisingly high separation values that can sieve-out impurities.

The research findings are a big step forward and researchers are looking forward to the future changes the discoveries will make to energy efficiency in chemical and petrochemical industries.

To find out more about R&D or to determine whether you may be eligible for an R&D Tax Credit  Contact a Swanson Reed specialist to see if you qualify.