Skip to main content

EyeVerify developing an eye-scanning unlock tool for your phone

14036251-laser-scanning-eye-close-up
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We’re constantly looking for ways to secure our devices. Nowadays, the most common is the alpha-numeric password protection. Some devices have introduced biometric fingerprint scanning, and we may be seeing more of that in the future. Coming up next, reports Gadget Review, will be eye scanning.

Developed by EyeVerify and introduced at the Mobile World Congress, Eyeprint is an application the company is currently working on; once ready, it will use a mobile device’s camera to snap a photo of the user’s eye, only unlocking the phone after verifying that the veins of the eye belong to the owner.

While some skeptics may wonder how accurate eye vein biometrics are, particularly when compared to a person’s fingerprint, the company assures that they’re just as accurate.

According to EyeVerify’s website, scanning one’s eye (or, as they call it, eyeprinting) takes four simple steps:

  1. Hold the phone anywhere from 6-12 inches away from the user’s eye.
  2. The user looks to the left or to the right, but not directly at the camera.
  3. The phone alerts the user when the scan is complete by vibrating.
  4. Total processing of the image is complete in less than one second.

The application isn’t quite ready for the market just yet, but the company assures that it’s close to finishing it and releasing to the public. No word yet on what the pricing may be.

It’s hard to say who EyeVerify is likely to target the product toward. We can imagine that the average user would find it much easier to just press a thumb down on the screen rather than to snap a photo of their eye each time they want to use their phone, particularly because so many of us are constantly locking and unlocking our phones, so it could prove to be a bit of a pain.

Editors' Recommendations

Joshua Pramis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Spending a childhood engrossed in such technologically inspiring television shows like Voltron, Small Wonder, and Power…
iPhone SE 4: news, rumored price, release date, and more
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) and Apple iPhone SE (2020) together.

While the spotlight always seems to be on Apple’s mainline iPhones, the iPhone SE is a great pick for those who are on a budget. If you want an iPhone that doesn't break the bank, the SE is the way to go.

The original iPhone SE came out in 2016, and then Apple revamped it in 2020 and 2022 by giving it some more modern hardware. The iPhone SE tends to get updated every two or so years rather than annually like the traditional iPhone. This means  that we should see a new iPhone SE 4 this year, but it’s not so cut-and-dried with this particular model.

Read more
Hurry! This Apple Watch just had its price slashed to $189
The app grid view on the Apple Watch SE 2.

For great smartwatch deals, head to Amazon immediately. Today, it has the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) for $60 off bringing it down to just $189 from $249. A fantastic price for an exceptionally well-made smartwatch, this tops our list of the best Apple deals right now. If you’re keen to buy a watch that will motivate you to move more while also looking good, check it out by tapping the button below. Alternatively, read on while we explain all.

Why you should buy the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen)
One of the best smartwatches around, the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) is best described as “simple, cheap, and brilliant”. It’s designed to help you exercise more effectively, while keeping connected with your digital life, and also staying safe.

Read more
Android 15 might add a new way to charge your gadgets
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Wireless charging has been a fringe feature for over a decade, despite Apple's push into the ecosystem with the iPhone X and its later adoption of MagSafe. It has been limited to flagship phones, save for a few exceptions, mostly due to the painfully slow charging speeds. But with Android 15, Google now seems to offer phone makers additional reasons to adopt wireless charging even without dedicated hardware.

Instead of relying on a dedicated charging coil, Android 15 could enable wireless charging on phones with Near Field Communications (or NFC) tech. Android Authority dug up instances from the source code of Android 15's first user beta, which arrived last week, that suggests the implementation.
Not new, but definitely noteworthy
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Tushar Mehta / Digital Trends

Read more