No more passwords? That's the goal of U.S. biometric researchers

SCI-TECH

No more passwords? That's the goal of U.S. biometric researchers

The Associated Press Published Tuesday, November 12, 2013 8:45AM EST

Researchers trying to do away with passwords

Stephen Elliott, Director Of International Biometric Research at Purdue University, uses a palm scanner to gain entrance to one of his biometric labs Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013 in West Lafayette, Ind. (AP / Michael Conroy)

Text:

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- You may never need to memorize another password.

That's the goal of researchers at Purdue University's International Center for Biometrics Research.

Stephen Elliott is the director of international biometric research at Purdue University in Indiana.

He says iris and fingerprint scans as well as facial and voice recognition are just a few of the tools that improve security while making lives easier.

His basement lab is a place where emerging biometric technologies are tested for weaknesses before they can go mainstream.

Biometrics is already in use at one local restaurant. Chris Smith, assistant manager of KFC in West Lafayette, Ind., says workers punch in by putting their finger on a fingerprint scanner attached to their cash register.