Google may kill passwords for biometrics authentication

Getting rid of passwords is one of the major projects for Google in 2016. As announced at the Google I/O 2015, the tech giant is planning to eliminate passwords and replace it with user authentications via biometric readings.

Initiated by Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) team, Project Abacus is a smartphone authentication system. It focuses on the behavioural aspects of a user, including the way the user types, his or her speech pattern and a variety of other signals like nearby Bluetooth devices. While Abacus runs, the smartphone continuously monitors locational behaviour and voice and speech patterns to calculate “trust scores,” reports Engadget.

If successfully identified, Abacus can help the user easily log into any app. However, each app has its unique trust score. For example a banking app would surely require a higher score as compared to a gaming or social networking app.

Regina Dugan , head of ATAP earlier mentioned (see video below) that Google partnered with multiple universities and experts to improve a system which is apparently 10 times more secure than fingerprint systems and 100 times safer than four digit PIN codes.

A report by ARS Technica states that Project Abacus was surely one of the aspects Google is working on in 2015. The tech giant is also closely working on Project Tango, which uses a combination of dual rear cameras and sensors to allow a smartphone or tablet to figure out its location in the 3D world. The sensors can 'see' the environment around the user.

This year, Google collaborated with Lenovo to launch Project tango devices.

Meanwhile, with Project Ara, Goole aims to bring in modular smartphones where users will be able to quickly swap between modules for further customisability .

Credit – YouTube/ Google Project Abacus ATAP