Technology

Posted on February 28, 2018 by staff

New partnership brings heartbeat authentication to IoT

Technology

NI-based ECG biometric authentication business B-Secur and Dutch global semiconductor manufacturer NXP Semiconductors® are working together on a powerful new microcontroller chip product.

The technology is for protecting connected devices and launches at this year’s Embedded World event in Nuremberg, Germany.

B-Secur is bolstering the security of the new chip with an integrated solution based on its patented electrocardiogram (ECG) authentication technology.

The tech uses an individual’s unique heartbeat pattern to quickly and securely authenticate identity.

The product, leveraging NXP’s new K32W0x wireless MCU platform, is the first single chip device with a dual core architecture and embedded multi-protocol radio.

This offers Internet of Things (IoT) product developers a single supplier for silicon, software, enablement, support and procurement reducing product complexity, size and costs – all while increasing functionality and security.

The chip will help protect the IoT at its heart, securing a range of connected devices from consumer devices such as wearables, smart door locks, thermostats and other smart home devices, to healthcare, commercial and industrial IoT applications, all supported by B-Secur’s biometric authentication technology.

B-Secur’s solution not only allows individuals to use their heartbeat as an authentication format that is inherently more accurate and secure than fingerprint, voice or facial recognition, but also turns heartbeat data into meaningful insights on fitness, stress, fatigue and other performance factors.

A full demonstration of the technology will be unveiled at Embedded World 2018, a leading global conference for embedded technologies in Nuremberg, Germany, from 27th February to 1st March 2018.

“Working with NXP is empowering us to expand our market reach exponentially and help us deliver intelligent, powerful authentication solutions for global cybersecurity challenges,” said B-Secur CEO Alan Foreman.

“The key to this partnership is the integrating of our technology into NXP’s hardware.

“I am passionate about helping organisations understand that tapping into the power of next generation biometric authentication doesn’t require wholesale infrastructural change – it can be done flexibly with embedded solutions.

“We’re currently extending our licensing models and working with a number of companies on some truly exciting use cases, particularly in the health and wearables sectors, with new partnerships underway.”

Emmanuel Sambuis, vice president of microcontrollers and connectivity at NXP Semiconductors said: “Announcing the K32W0x secure wireless MCU platform is a great achievement for us, as it marks an evolution in streamlining the complex functionality and processing required to secure the connected devices which make up our world.

“The K32W0x platform includes high-performance security features such as secure boot, cryptographic and secure key management sub-systems, as well as a resource domain controller, anti-tamper protection and secure over-the-air firmware programming for Bluetooth® Low Energy, Thread and Zigbee networks.

“Combining these security features with the advanced authentication capabilities from B-Secur, NXP can deliver the latest security technologies to our customers and strengthen our position as a global leader.”