Technology has been used to change our lives in every small way, soon the favourite vanity exercise of a millions around the World could be put to good use.
According to a report in Sky news, selfies could change the way we buy things. This new technology has been shown off as part of the London Tech Week.
Representational imageSelfie Pay as it is called allows you to authorise a transaction with your face.
In order to deter fraudulent authorisation by using a photograph, the app requires you to blink so it knows you’re actually present.
The use of biometrics: unique data based on individual characteristics like your face, eyes or fingerprint has been previously used in fields like immigration control.
“If you think about passwords, they’re a standalone measure,” said Jane Khodos from MasterCard. “They’re easily lost, stolen or forgotten.
“Here you’re authenticating with what you have: your phone and also who you are.”
Another technologically advanced mode of payment was also seen at the show. A wearable wristband called Nymi that can identify you by the unique rhythm of your heart, found in your electrocardiogram (ECG).
“We’re also very concerned about the security issues, it’s something that’s top of the mind for us,” said Amy Neal from MasterCard Labs, the company’s research and development division.
It is not just biometrics that could change payments.
Kerv, a contactless payment ring was also introduced during the course of the show. It is a simple piece of technology that essentially means you are wearing a contactless payment card.
Tech inventors insist that there is no need to choose just one of these products.
“You can start to bundle biometric authentication together,” says Ms Neal. “So you might have Selfie Pay, but also the electrocardiagram for additional security.
“We hear stories like people are concerned that they may have an identical twin, so what does that mean if you’re doing selfie pay?
“For us this is ensuring that we have a full suite of biometrics available.”
The Kerv ring is due out in July, Selfie Pay comes out in the UK this year and the Nymi band and iris scanner are both still in development.
