Biometric data will be used to protect personal info on your lock screen.

Microsoft Research Institute to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) has recently published a new patent application, which could ensure your privacy and security by optimizing your lock screen. This is possible with a new biometric security technology that identifies what personal data to be revealed or hidden from the eyes of a stranger that may be using the device.

Lock screens may sometimes be accessed by anyone. This may cause some inconvenience and expose the user’s private data to a pair of curious eyes or even to some data violation risks. However, Microsoft is working on a solution that may optimize the amount of actionable and personal information that the operating system can provide, depending on who is using it. With the implementation of the new biometric security mechanism, the users will have no need to worry about the information that is shown on their home screen. This may put an end to the embarrassment and the need to choose between productivity and privacy on their screen.

The Microsoft’s patent called “SELECTIVELY PROVIDING PERSONAL INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO FUNCTIONALITY ON LOCK SCREEN BASED ON BIOMETRIC USER AUTHENTICATION” will use a technology based on biometric data in order to authenticate the user who has activated the device.

The operating system that is using this method will intelligently decide whether to display more or less sensitive information, according to the level of identification of the user. More system functions and access to different information will be enabled accordingly, based on this advanced unlocking mechanism, which will be able to identify its owner.

An exact authentication won’t be needed for users to be allowed to interact with the lock screen; however, more and more information will be revealed to the user, in case that the operating system identifies it as the owner. According to Microsoft researchers, this new function will enable the lock screen to be a more practical desktop replacement. Features like sticky notes and the digital assistant Cortana may be included as additional functionality as well.

For this new biometric authentication to work, however, Microsoft will need to come up with more sophisticated and reliable unlocking mechanisms. Technologies like facial recognition and other advanced identification methods, collecting biometric data obtained from one or more biometric sensors, would need to ensure that the operating system does not unlock itself automatically, once it detects a user. However, whether and how exactly this will be implemented is yet to be seen.

The readers who are interested may check the link here to view the full content of the Microsoft Research Institute to WIPO patent.

What do you think? Would you welcome such change? You can share your thoughts in the comments below.