Goodbye passwords, hello biometrics

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE-fzF4aHr43I4C4B7ADcfOfyqUo138zCpAcup3Vg-o_fSEmlzW6ZsuY6WLeCXyFrJwpgsXCGBOzXy7YPOrPqUecngxY4BlhuhE8O935cTCDTf_AeEbWx8TczSDFtuzuU3hifz_Acq3U/s1600/nancy_young.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE-fzF4aHr43I4C4B7ADcfOfyqUo138zCpAcup3Vg-o_fSEmlzW6ZsuY6WLeCXyFrJwpgsXCGBOzXy7YPOrPqUecngxY4BlhuhE8O935cTCDTf_AeEbWx8TczSDFtuzuU3hifz_Acq3U/s1600/nancy_young.jpg" /></a></div>Let's face it — passwords suck.<br /><br />Every day we have to recall all manner of alphanumeric combinations for bank PINs, network log-ons, corporate email, social networking, and e-commerce. According to Microsoft Research, the average user types eight passwords per day.<br /> <br />During a talk at last year's SAE Convergence, Joseph Carra from the US Department of Transportation said, “Passwords have to go” ... a breath of fresh air for those of us who rely heavily on the "forgot password" option. The stage is set, according to Carra, for biometrics to replace passwords in the vehicle.<br /><br />Using biometrics for driver preferences is nothing new — my favorite example is a car seat that can identify you by the <a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com/future-car-biometrics.htm">shape of your butt</a> — but using them to replace passwords makes perfect sense. <br /><br />Ultrasound fingerprinting, iris scans, facial recognition, signature dynamics, voice recognition, keystroke dynamics, hand geometry, skin patterns, and foot dynamics are already being used in enterprise security, law enforcement, border control, ATM transactions, and so on. And second-gen biometrics promise to pump up the Sci-Fi factor with neural wave analysis, electro-physiological biometrics, skin luminescence, body odor, and so on. <br /><br />Many technologies eventually find their way into the car after becoming popular elsewhere — mobile telephony, media players, GPS navigation, etc. I can’t think of too many world-changing technologies that got their start inside the car. But given the innovative trajectory of today’s auto industry, that may be about to change.<br /><br />

Goodbye passwords, hello biometrics

Let's face it — passwords suck. Every day we have to recall all manner of alphanumeric combinations for bank PINs, network log-ons, corp...

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Designing interfaces from the outside in

<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE-fzF4aHr43I4C4B7ADcfOfyqUo138zCpAcup3Vg-o_fSEmlzW6ZsuY6WLeCXyFrJwpgsXCGBOzXy7YPOrPqUecngxY4BlhuhE8O935cTCDTf_AeEbWx8TczSDFtuzuU3hifz_Acq3U/s1600/nancy_young.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE-fzF4aHr43I4C4B7ADcfOfyqUo138zCpAcup3Vg-o_fSEmlzW6ZsuY6WLeCXyFrJwpgsXCGBOzXy7YPOrPqUecngxY4BlhuhE8O935cTCDTf_AeEbWx8TczSDFtuzuU3hifz_Acq3U/s1600/nancy_young.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">User interfaces are a pet peeve of mine.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m one of those people whose VCR always blinked 12:00. Not because I couldn’t figure it out but because I resented that I had to.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Basically, I have neither the time nor the inclination to read manuals. If I’m paying good money for a consumer-facing product then it better not require an engineering degree to use it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not surprisingly, then, I think UI design is every bit as important as product; maybe even more so. Because if your user experience sucks, make no mistake; I will be walking and talking to your competitors.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It wasn’t until I entered the glamorous world of software development that I came to the following conclusion: Interfaces are complicated because development tools require an engineer (or similarly brilliant individual) to use them. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course this is a sweeping statement and I’ll gladly debate it but the point is this: Someone with unique skills and knowledge about user-centric design should be creating interfaces. Not someone who knows the product from the inside out.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I know in a traditional model this can create a lot of churn but companies like Crank Software have come up with a way to decouple the roles of embedded engineer and UI designer, allowing them to work in parallel while focusing on their individual core competencies.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I spoke to several members of the <a href="http://qnxauto.blogspot.ca/search/label/Concept%20team">QNX concept development team</a> when they were heavily embroiled in creating the latest technology concept car. It was<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>obvious when talking to the engineers and the UI designers that <a href="http://www.cranksoftware.com/products/crank_storyboard_suite.php">Crank’s Storyboard</a> made both jobs that much easier and the process a whole lot quicker. The end result, achieved in a very short time frame, speaks for itself.</span></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OV6hSAyck9c" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is great news for people like me who curse like sailors whenever using a remote, microwave, GPS, treadmill, camera, and so on. Indeed, I'm counting on teams like QNX and Crank to ensure the digital car is an enjoyable and intuitive  experience. If not, I do know who I'm gonna call.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>

Designing interfaces from the outside in

User interfaces are a pet peeve of mine. I’m one of those people whose VCR always blinked 12:00. Not because I couldn’t figure it out but be...

Read more »