Apple Patents Watch Band That Could ID You From Your Wrist Skin (techcrunch.com) 23
PatentlyApple has spotted several patents that suggest Apple is playing with the idea of making the Apple Watch's band identify users via their wrist's skin texture and arm hair. TechCrunch reports: The first patent describes a sensor built into the Watch or the watch's band that could use infrared to build a thermal image of your wrist and its identifying traits (like skin texture/arm hair) to identify who is wearing it -- sort of like a fingerprint, but from your wrist. Unlike most of Apple's other devices, the Apple Watch doesn't currently have any sort of built-in biometrics for unlocking -- there's no thumbprint sensor for Touch ID, or camera for Face ID. Unlocking your Apple Watch means poking at the screen to punch in a PIN (or, if you've configured it to unlock when you unlock your phone, doing that). A sensor setup like this could make the unlocking process automatic without the need to unlock your phone.
The second granted patent describes a Watch band that can adjust itself on the fly -- think Nike's self-tightening shoes, but on your wrist. If the Watch detects that it's sliding while you're running (or if the aforementioned thermal sensors need a closer look at your wrist skin) tensioners in the device could tighten or loosen the band on command. Finally, a third granted patent tinkers with the idea of a Watch band with built-in light-up indicators -- like, say, a notification light for incoming texts, or a meter that fills up to tell you at-a-glance how much distance you've got left on your run, or a stripe that glows yellow when you've got something on your calendar in the next hour. All of this can already be done on the Watch's screen, of course -- this would just allow for it without having to power up the entire display.
The second granted patent describes a Watch band that can adjust itself on the fly -- think Nike's self-tightening shoes, but on your wrist. If the Watch detects that it's sliding while you're running (or if the aforementioned thermal sensors need a closer look at your wrist skin) tensioners in the device could tighten or loosen the band on command. Finally, a third granted patent tinkers with the idea of a Watch band with built-in light-up indicators -- like, say, a notification light for incoming texts, or a meter that fills up to tell you at-a-glance how much distance you've got left on your run, or a stripe that glows yellow when you've got something on your calendar in the next hour. All of this can already be done on the Watch's screen, of course -- this would just allow for it without having to power up the entire display.
turnicateware (Score:1)
I'd like to patent the word turnicateware - When your apple watch seizes down on your wrist, and demands a payment or you lose your hand.
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Actually even that seems like a good idea... (Score:1)
I'd like to patent the word turnicateware
What if chefs had an Apple Watch on each hand and the band would cinch down if it detected blood loss from that arm? That would actually be pretty helpful.
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Considering how well Apple detects stuff... better not.
How about a smart necklace? (Score:2, Troll)
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How about a smart necklace with a self-tightening feature? Apple fanboys will LOVE it!
You mean like the necktie in the movie "Law Abiding Citizen":
So we call Clyde, and we ask him to solve our problem. Clyde develops a Kevlar thread with a high-tech ratchet made of carbon fiber. Put it in a necktie. Two days later, Mrs. Bad Guy comes home, finds Mr. Bad Guy dead on the bathroom tile, choked to death.
Or the Bolito [urbandictionary.com] in the movie "The Counselor":
It comprises of a loop of alloy wire attached to a small electric motor. The device is thrown around someones neck and yanking the free wire starts the motor. The loops gets smaller and smaller, cutting open the victim's carotid arteries and/or decapitating them.
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For when you need a gift for your PHB's birthday party...
Demolition Man (Score:1)
instead of knife and pens, wannabe Simon Phoenix's can use a peeler or razor.
Most of those ideas seem pretty good. (Score:2)
Not sure if it would be unique enough to equal the security office or Touch ID, but enough sensors could probably do a pretty good job from skin/hair texture... I wonder how much moisture levels would throw it off.
Also I think the idea of some kind of display on a band makes a ton of sense. There some kind of e-ink would probably be a really good application for being low power and easily read in outdoor conditions. It also brings up the amusing thought that the band could display the time instead of the
Disagree with your correction (Score:1)
It's either unique or it's not.
The thing is we are all programmers here, who deal with a lot of things that are "unique" within some specific level of precision.
"unique enough" is simply shorthand for writing out a tedious description for the effort to find some factor unique within certain parameters.
You are being a bit too pedantic here I think and not really understanding the nuances of English.
The definition of unique is not unique (Score:2)
From merriam webster I post the definition below. Now the 1st definition of unique is simple the word "sole". "his unique concern was his comfort." that doesn't mean no one else has a concern for comfort. or tha concern for comfort is unique. It just was his "sole" concern. The third definition is "peculiar" in the sense of particular or restricted or anomalous.
Finally note the example given by J.D. Salinger (catcher in the Rye) who refers for "very unique". Completely in opposition to your advocatio
Re: Most of those ideas seem pretty good. (Score:2)
To my knowledge, there is nothing special about fingerprints. You also have toe prints, retinal prints, and butt prints. Fingers just are convenient. A wrist print should be just as unique as a fingerprint. Hair getting in the way might be a factor but the underlying skin should be just as unique as anywhere else on the body.
China will love this (Score:1)
Soon they can target all the Hong Kong and Taiwan rebels directly!
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Watch band with built-in light-up indicators
Seriously?
I never took the Singularity seriously till now either.
Who knew?
But on a computer... (Score:2)
"sort of like a fingerprint" is exactly a fingerprint. "Fingerprinting" is performed on all external skin surfaces. Modern devices can also perform subsurface identification. This is not new.
So they've taken something thing that already exists (digital fingerprinting), shifted the sensor location, and have been granted patent protection as an invention...
I hope there is something super novel that they actually invented, but I can't see it in the patent filing.
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"sort of like a fingerprint" is exactly a fingerprint. "Fingerprinting" is performed on all external skin surfaces. Modern devices can also perform subsurface identification. This is not new."
If it works on skin that gets saggier and saggier, grows hair and gets shaved (and cut) and gets more and more liver spots or black skin-cancer it sure is a novelty.
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Seriously, it's just an angle to get more data on us.
It sound ridiculous if you put it this way: "Hey you can buy our watch, but I'm going to need your fingerprints and your live location data in addition to a hefty price tag".
Marketspeak turns it into "Hey, no worrying about passwords! Plus you'll be one of the cool kids. Win!"
Really? (Score:2)
So each time I shave my arms, get a few new liver-spots or my skin gets saggier still, it won't work?
An invention by a 18-28 year old no doubt.
Strange, because more and more elder people wearing them because of the heart monitor.
At least my fingerprints don't grow hair or get liver-spots.