Tag Archives: technology

Innovation and chip usage in car market

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As the demand for electric and driverless vehicles continues to grow, chip designer Arm has reported impressive growth in its automotive division. The company has more than doubled its revenue in this sector over the past year, as it looks for new opportunities for growth ahead of a highly anticipated public listing in 2022.

The increasing incorporation of technology in modern vehicles has led to a greater demand for chips to power these electronic systems. As a result, there is currently a shortage of chips in the market, causing delays in the availability of certain car models for over a year. In response to this high demand for chips in the automotive industry, Arm has chosen to prioritize the production of chips for this market segment.

The car chip shortage, explained | Toyota of North Charlotte

The production of a basic automobile necessitates the incorporation of over 3,000 semiconductor chips, as reported by the New York Times. The demand for enhanced fuel efficiency in the automotive industry, particularly after the 1973 oil crisis, has resulted in the increased use of electronics in engine controls. These electronics, including sensors for monitoring various engine functions, have been made possible through the utilization of chips and have significantly improved fuel economy in vehicles.

Semiconductor chips have become increasingly prevalent in the automotive industry due to their reliability compared to mechanical components. Electronic controls, such as those used to open windows or adjust seats, have become standard in many vehicles. These chips also play a role in the operation of features such as air conditioning and screen displays. The use of semiconductor chips has become an integral part of the daily operation and comfort of modern automobiles.

It is clear why Arm has chosen to prioritize the development of car chips. In 2021, a shortage of these components significantly impacted the number of cars that could be produced. Arm’s strategy of becoming a chip supplier for many automobile companies appears to be well-timed, as the lack of available chips has resulted in millions of unproduced cars. The increased production of chips for the automotive industry is therefore a pressing issue.

Chart: The U.S. Car Models Most Impacted By The Microchip Shortage |  Statista
Source:https://www.statista.com/chart/24969/vehicles-taken-out-of-production-due-to-microchip-shortages/

In conclusion, the increased production of car chips is a crucial development in the automotive industry. The shortage of these components in 2021 had a significant impact on the number of cars that could be produced, highlighting the importance of their availability. Companies like Arm, which have made the decision to focus on car chip production, may be well positioned to meet the demand from automobile manufacturers. As technology continues to advance and the use of electronics in vehicles increases, it is likely that the demand for car chips will only continue to grow. Therefore, important for companies to stay at the forefront of this development in order to meet the needs of the market and stay competitive.

Sources:

https://www.ft.com/content/a09c4500-27ae-42d7-8b3f-e6d13f1b3f3b

https://www.statista.com/chart/24969/vehicles-taken-out-of-production-due-to-microchip-shortages/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyshih/2022/11/20/why-are-automotive-chips-still-in-short-supply/?sh=7506bff3782a

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Drone Transplant Delivery in Mass Just Around The Corner

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Source: Getty Images

Drones have revolutionized the way we think about transportation and delivery systems. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the ability to fly over traffic and other obstacles, making them an efficient and cost-effective option for delivering goods. In recent years, drones have even been used to deliver life-saving transplants to patients in need.

One of the main advantages of using drones to deliver transplants is the speed at which they can travel. In emergency situations, every minute counts and traditional modes of transportation can be slowed down by traffic and other delays. Drones, on the other hand, can bypass these obstacles and reach their destination quickly and efficiently.

Another advantage of using drones to deliver transplants is their ability to reach remote or hard-to-access locations. Many transplant recipients live in rural areas or areas that are difficult to reach by car or ambulance. Drones can fly over these obstacles and deliver the transplant to the patient in a timely manner.

Source: University of Maryland Medical School

There are also cost benefits to using drones to deliver transplants. Traditional methods of transportation, such as ambulances and helicopters, can be expensive and may not always be available. Drones, on the other hand, can be deployed quickly and at a lower cost.

Despite the many benefits of using drones to deliver transplants, there are also some challenges that need to be addressed. One of the main challenges is ensuring the safety of the transplant during the delivery process. Transplants are often fragile and can be damaged during transit. To address this issue, some companies are developing specialized drones with temperature-controlled compartments and other features to ensure that the transplant stays safe and viable during the delivery process.

When it comes to that matter, a recent proof-of-concept flight organized by a team of researchers from Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Techna, University Health Network and Unither Bioelectronics has displayed the feasibility of overcoming these challenges.

Source: Unither Bioelectronics, Bromont QC

The flight was taken by a Chinese made M600 Pro drone, a commercial device of a price of only 600$. The team exchanged some parts for ones that provide improved connectivity. While also attaching external apparatus like a parachute, lights, GPS trackers, cameras and a recovery system. Lastly they connected the transplant secure box on the bottom of the drone.

Then, after testing the drone 400 times they considered it ready for the real test. The drone was tasked with delivering a donated lung from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto General Hospital. The two kilometer flight was a success and the organ was implanted into the patient in need.

However, there’s more challenges this innovation still faces. One of them are regulatory hurdles. While many countries have regulations in place for drones, there are still some legal and regulatory issues that need to be addressed before drones can be widely used to deliver transplants. For example, some countries have strict rules about drones flying over certain areas or at certain altitudes, which can make it difficult to use drones for transplant delivery.

Despite these challenges, the use of drones to deliver transplants is a promising area of research and development. In the future, it is likely that drones will play a larger role in the delivery of transplants and other medical supplies. As technology continues to advance and regulatory issues are addressed, we may see drones becoming a more common sight in our skies, delivering life-saving transplants to patients in need.


Bibliography:

Yirka, Bob. “Proof-of-concept drone flight delivers transplant lung to patient in Toronto.” Tech Xplore. Published December 22, 2022. https://techxplore.com/news/2022-12-proof-of-concept-drone-flight-transplant-lung.html

Sage, T. Andrew et al. “Testing the delivery of human organ transportation with drones in the real world.” Science Robotics. Published December 21, 2022. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.adf5798#tab-contributors

Freeman, David. “A drone just flew a kidney to a transplant patient for the first time ever. It won’t be the last.” NBC News. Published May 3, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/drone-just-flew-kidney-transplant-patient-first-time-ever-it-ncna1001396

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DOES TECHNOLOGY BELONG IN FOOTBALL?

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With recent calls made by referees who were influenced by technology in the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the public and fans have come out to argue that maybe it isn’t. The latest trigger of such opinion was the Argentina v. Poland game where Lionel Messi was awarded what many believe an undeserved penalty by VAR (Video Assistant Referee), moreover many fans have come out to state that technology should be abandoned in the knockout stages of the competition.


Ever since VAR was introduced into Football fans have often question the decisions it makes, however it is extremely hard to decipher the biased from the unbiased when it comes to sports, fans are happy with it when a call is made their way and are furious when it is the opposite.

Former star players now turned pundits such as Rio Ferdinand, Danny Murphy, and Stan Collymore have all come out and made their opinion on the call known, to summarize: all three former players were to say the least discontent.

Although some fans may not be over the moon about technology being further and further introduced into the beautiful game, it is happening. Before the 2022 World Cup FIFA had announced that semi-automated technology will be used at the tournament, the AI tool was implemented to help eferees make faster and more accurate offside calls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEPKAeGzwPU&t=11s

Some see it fit, some don’t, but it is impossible to deny how in theory and previous practice that technological tools such as AI have innovated the sport of football and have brought more of an objective outlook to certain scenarios taking place on the pitch.

Do you believe tech is needed in football? Leave your opinion in the comments.

Sources:
https://twitter.com/search?q=messi%20penalty%20var&src=typed_query
int_source=mantis_rec_rhc&int_medium=web&int_campaign=more_like_this_rhc

https://www.eurosport.com/football/world-cup/2022/rio-ferdinand-fumes-at-disgraceful-argentina-penalty-for-lionel-messi-at-2022-world-cup-in-qatar_sto9251973/story.shtml

Image by flatart on Freepik


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Clothes that can hear

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Wearable technology is a very intriguing idea that is fast in progress over the years, constantly adding new accessories and functionalities to the clothes we wear each day. This idea involves giving clothes ears or at least the same capacity as an ear. That is the plan behind the project of the “acoustic fabric” developed by MIT engineers and collaborators of the Rhode Island School of Design. This design seems a bit odd or invasive but researchers claim that it is revolutionary.

The design is highly flexible, as it can be bent in any form and of course, can be washed in the washing machine. The question we should ask however is if these clothes are necessary or if it just an unnecessary invention.

acoustic fabric

Researchers claim that the fabric can have a remarkable implication in many fields, especially medical devices. A shirt could document the heartbeat of a person with cardiac issues. They claim it can be used for the blind, used in buildings to detect cracks or strains, or even woven into fishnets to detect the sound of a fish. The fiber is designed from a “piezoelectric” material that produces an electrical signal when bent or during drastic movements, which provides a means for the fabric to convert sound vibrations into electrical signals. The fibers can also be made to generate sound, such as a recording of spoken words.

Brian Ahier on Twitter: "The t-shirt that can 'hear' your heartbeat:  Scientists develop an ear-inspired fabric that can monitor cardiac rhythm  in real time https://t.co/Ketoi3DVQP https://t.co/YMURppKXkh" / Twitter

However, I think this invention is not necessarily needed. What I mean by this is that inventors simply want to involve technology in every Sphere of human life, but I think the aspect of clothes or fashion should not necessitate technology at all. Other devices can perform the functions listed above such as helping the blind or monitoring a heartbeat of a cardiac patient and even do it better. Therefore in my opinion this is simply an invention that is not needed. The only thing I think this invention will be cool with is secretly getting a confession from a criminal as evidence. That would be interesting. Nevertheless, I agree that it is a pretty cool idea. The design is still a work in progress, however, the researchers hope to release it over the years. What’s your opinion? Do you think this invention may be revolutionary?

Sources/References

https://news.mit.edu/2022/fabric-acoustic-microphone-0316#:~:text=Caption%3A-,An%20MIT%20team%20has%20designed%20an%20%E2%80%9Cacoustic%20fabric%2C%E2%80%9D%20woven,sound%20vibrations%20into%20electrical%20signals.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/future-technology-22-ideas-about-to-change-our-world/

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Benefits of Data Storytelling

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What is Data Storytelling?

Data storytelling is the most effective method for leveraging data to produce new knowledge, new choices, or new actions. It is an interdisciplinary profession that incorporates knowledge and experience from several domains such as communication, analysis, and design. It is used to solve a variety of issues and is employed in a variety of areas.

The majority of marketers have some narrative experience. When we talk about data storytelling, we’re talking about stories in which data is the main focus. The narrative’s purpose is to explain the information and its importance. There are many different types of stories, and most of them can be conveyed with the help of photographs, but only a handful do.

The most important elements of data storytelling:

Data: The cornerstone of any data story is a thorough study of correct, full data. Data analysis employing descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analysis may help you comprehend the whole picture.

Narrative: A tale, also known as a verbal or written narrative, is used to express insights drawn from data, the context around it, and actions you advocate and hope to inspire in your audience.

Visualizations: Visual representations of your data and narrative may help you tell your message in a clear and memorable way. These might take the form of charts, graphs, diagrams.

The benefits of data storytelling

Data storytelling is comparable to human storytelling, but it includes deeper insights and supporting facts in the form of graphs and charts. Data storytelling simplifies complex information so that your audience can connect with your content and make key decisions more quickly and confidently.

Creating a data story that inspires others to act may be a really effective technique. People and your business may benefit from effective data storytelling. Some of the advantages of effective data storytelling include:

  • Increasing the value of your data and insights;
  • Interpreting difficult information and emphasising vital elements for the audience;
  • Giving your data a personal touch;
  • Adding value to your target audience and industry;
  • Developing your reputation as an industry and issue thought leader.

What makes a great data story?

It must be meaningful
This means that the information (including copy and images) must be appropriate for the audience’s present level of understanding and must assist them in achieving some sort of goal.


Perhaps your audience is internal, such as a presentation to leadership about the need of investing in a certain strategy or method. Or they might be external, such as a campaign to get them to test your solution.

In any case, consider what is important to them. The finest stories are those that appeal directly to people, and the more particular the person, the better.

It must have accurate data
This means that the data should come from a reliable source and/or be gathered in a method that accurately depicts what is required to convey a true tale.


Data made public by government institutions, intergovernmental organizations, university researchers, and established analysts are not only more accessible, but also transparent and verified.


The facts you utilize should assist you in telling the truth. It should be relevant to the audience’s needs and assist them in understanding just what they need to know to make an important decision.

A clear narrative is crucial
When it comes to narrative, we are all accustomed to the standard three-act structure with a beginning, middle, and finish.

For data storytelling, this typically implies that you need to learn about the issue first before diving into the data. You must also finish with a particular call to action—another distinction between a data story and a basic report.


Also, if your audience is not an expert, use clear language to avoid losing them in tricky jargon or complicated acronyms.

It should incorporate deliberate graphics

It implies that your graphics, whether images, graphs, or charts, should help your audience grasp what the data means.

What are your thoughts on data storytelling?

References:

https://www.analyticssteps.com/blogs/introduction-data-storytelling

https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-storytelling

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/data-storytelling/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentdykes/2016/03/31/data-storytelling-the-essential-data-science-skill-everyone-needs/?sh=7874148052ad

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AI and Healthcare

Reading Time: 3 minutes

AI and similar technologies are becoming more and more common in business and society, and they are starting to be used in healthcare. These technologies might change many facets of patient care, as well as internal administrative procedures at pharmaceutical organizations.

Numerous studies have already shown that AI is capable of doing important healthcare jobs including illness diagnosis as well as better than humans.

One of AI’s greatest potential advantages is to keep people healthy so they don’t need doctors as frequently, if at all. People are already benefiting from consumer health applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT).

Applications and apps for technology support proactive maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and encourage individuals to adopt better behaviours. It gives customers control over their health and well-being.

Diagnose cancer

AI is already being used to more precisely and early diagnose diseases like cancer. The American Cancer Society claims that a large percentage of mammograms provide misleading findings, telling one in two healthy women they have cancer. Mammogram reviews and translations can now be done 30 times quicker and with 99% accuracy thanks to AI, which eliminates the need for pointless biopsies.


AI is also being used in conjunction with the growth of consumer wearables and other medical devices to monitor early-stage heart disease, allowing doctors and other caregivers to more effectively monitor and identify potentially fatal events at earlier, more curable stages.


Decision making process

AI can assist clinicians in taking a more comprehensive approach to disease management, better coordinate care plans, and help patients to better manage and comply with their long-term treatment programmes, in addition to helping providers identify chronically ill individuals who may be at risk of an adverse episode.


For more than 30 years, medical robots have been in use. They vary from basic laboratory robots to extremely sophisticated surgical robots that may work with a human surgeon or carry out procedures on their own. They are used in hospitals and labs for repetitive jobs, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and assistance for those with long-term problems in addition to surgery.

Training process


AI makes it possible for trainees to experience realistic simulations in a way that is not possible with straightforward computer-driven algorithms. A trainee’s answer to a question, choice, or piece of advise can be challenging in a manner that a person cannot because of the development of natural speech and an AI computer’s capacity to draw instantaneously from a massive library of situations. The training software may take into account the trainee’s prior replies, allowing it to modify the tasks to fit their learning requirements continuously.

Additionally, training can be done anywhere thanks to the power of AI integrated in smartphones, making it feasible to do brief catch-up sessions following challenging cases in a clinic or while travelling.

In conclusion, AI have the potential to revolutionize end-of-life care by allowing patients to stay independent for long periods of time, decreasing the need for hospitalization and care facilities. AI mixed with developments in humanoid design are allowing robots to go even farther and have ‘conversations’ and other social interactions with people to keep ageing minds sharp.

Resources:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/cancer-risk-ai-mammograms

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6616181/

https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/artificial-intelligence-healthcare/

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Why is there a shortage of electronic chipset?

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https://i0.wp.com/hardzone.es/app/uploads-hardzone.es/2020/05/TSMC-5-nm-Intel-AMD-NVIDIA.jpg?ssl=1

The impact of the current chipset shortage crisis has spread to a very wide world, from initially only affecting the electric car industry but the impact has now returned to the smartphone industry, tabs. Tablet, computer, game console to various IoT (Internet of Things) devices today,

Chipset shortage crisis this time. It has to say that it started from the trade war between two the most country like China and the United States in 2019, dragged on to the COVID-19 crisis in 2020 that affected the world. And it doesn’t seem to end easily, coupled with new demand that has arisen along the way in many industries. Including natural disasters to aggravate the production capacity even less Until the balance between demand and supply worsened as we can see today.

https://images.app.goo.gl/ieYLB9aEtPFx3iPK6

In addition, Due to less chip volume and higher product prices It’s not just businesses which are get this crisis by the shortage of semiconductors. Even ourselves as consumers will not be immune to the negative consequences of this crisis. One of them is that the price of goods has skyrocketed.

According to J.D. Power, the average US car price In the first quarter of 2021, it jumped 8.4% from a year earlier to about $37,200 per vehicle. will increase by at least 1-3% which can show that the price of chipset in the market has skyrocketed therefore it will raise a price rapidly.

And who will get benefit with this thing, the issue of the shortage of semiconductor have advantages and disadvantages , In my opinion is TSMC and Samsung which are biggest market in semiconductor it will invest abord to another country such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand which it will make competition between this two company will produce new product, new innovation, and new technology for example, semiconductor 5 nanometers or 3 nanometers technology so what do u think about this issue please comment down below.

resource:

https://www.cars.com/articles/car-shopping-how-long-will-the-inventory-shortage-last-437134/

2020–present global chip shortage – Wikipedia

Global chip shortage: everything you need to know | TechRadar

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Semiconductor race to the future

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Semiconductors – chips are an integral part of every electronic device. That’s why it’s so important for companies to ensure that their product is equipped with the latest version.

For this reason, many organizations are outdoing themselves in creating better and better chips. For many years, the largest semiconductor manufacturer has been the Taiwanese company TSMC. It supplies more than half of the world chip market. It it’s responsible for producing most of the chips for iPhones and Macs that Apple is so proud of. Few people have heard of it, but it is one of the largest companies in the world. In the field of pocket devices, supercomputers and automobiles, TSMC is a nearly a monopoly with more than 90% of the global chip supply. Another 8% of companies are supplied by Samsung chips. That leaves just 2% for dozens of other producers.

Macro photography of the inside of computer
Photo by Vishnu Mohanan on Unsplash

But that doesn’t stop other organizations from becoming competitors in the production of new and better semiconductors. The American company NVIDIA recently took away TSMC’s long-occupied first place on the list of most profitable companies. The competition is growing and more rivals are joining the race for the first 2 nm process. One of the biggest contenders is Samsung. As of today, only Samsung and TSMC produce and sell 3 nm chips. Both companies expect to begin mass production of 2nm chips by 2025.

Now Rapidus is joining the game – the newly formed company is funded by a number of organizations such as Toyota, Sony and Kioxia. However, the biggest donor is the Japanese government itself since company’s headquarters will be in Japan. It will allocate about $500 million to help the new company develop. After a stagnant engineering market and a shortage of skilled workers, Japan is looking for prospects in semiconductor manufacturing. The country is also hoping to forge closer ties with the US, as Rapidus will work with IBM to develop next-generation, sub-2-nanometer chips. This move puts Japan in the team of United States in their technological war with China. Results of this colaboration will be visible in 2027, two years after estimated mass production of TSMC’s and Samsung’s samiconductors. In technological field it’s a lifetime. Probably Rapidus will not be a succes at first, but it may have a potential in future projects and development.

There is still a long way to go before mass production of 2-nm semiconductors. However, a bright future full of potential lies ahead. Battery life of smartphones equipped with such a chip will quadruple. Laptop functions will speed up dramatically. The same goes for object detection in autonomous vehicles, which will reduce possibility of accidents on the roads. On top of that, the carbon footprint will be much smaller. It is believed that 2nm could be useful in areas such as 5G internet, big data centres and even quantum computing.  One thing is certain, whoever develops a good-quality 2-nanometer semiconductor first will gain great strength in the technology field.


Sources:
https://www.ft.com/content/47282150-7c2e-49f5-8e9e-f61c3904e461
https://newsroom.ibm.com/2021-05-06-IBM-Unveils-Worlds-First-2-Nanometer-Chip-Technology,-Opening-a-New-Frontier-for-Semiconductors
https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/04/samsung_2nm_2025/
https://www.ft.com/content/b90da329-a2e5-486a-860f-a20a3afc707a

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Characteristics of Stereolithography – underrated 3D printing technique.

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Known also as resin printing or SLA is at the moment one of two leading methods of 3D printing. However, often is overlooked by classical (FDM) printing due to the greater development potential.

How does it work?

The most visible and obvious element is the liquid container usually filled with polymers from which products are made. That said main part is located at the base of the printer – lasers. By focusing a few different laser beams with galvanometers at the polymer it is possible to selectively change resin from liquid to solid state and by repetitively lowering the platform (commonly located at the upper part of the machine) structures can be built from upside down.

Qualities

Building models from many consecutive layers (less than 1 millimetre thick) offers high quality and is comparable to FDM’s faster time of building. There is also a wide range of materials for different types of professions to work with. There are polymers developed specifically for dentists, engineers, designers and even jewellers each with distinct properties suited for the needed job.

Future development

Thinking about the future of 3D printing we usually see houses made in days or fashionable clothes created from flexible materials printed in our homes. However, what if we add to this vision high-resolution tools made in minutes, models not shown on slides but in the real world? Perhaps it will be used for printing food whenever we want without any wasted products? Right now some printers can use gelatin or other biomaterial resins to print complex structures.

Well-explained video of the production process

References:

https://www.hubs.com/knowledge-base/what-is-sla-3d-printing/

https://formlabs.com/eu/blog/ultimate-guide-to-stereolithography-sla-3d-printing/#Why%20Choose%20SLA%203D%20Printing%3F

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The end of passwords.

Reading Time: 8 minutes

It’s high time that we finally pivot away to other authentication methods rather than using infamously vulnerable alphanumerics to protect our private data.

Passwords And People: Your Secret Weapons Against Cybercriminals

It’s common knowledge that passwords are one of the most widely used authentication methods for protecting our private data, however, it may be a surprise to know how common they actually are. As of April 2022, there were roughly 300 billion passwords in use, which averages to around 38 passwords per person¹. Hence, it is safe to say that passwords have played a major role in the world of cybersecurity. But that needs to change. And I am not the only one who thinks it.

Giant Tech companies, such as Apple and Microsoft, have made plans to make passwords redundant by announcing their intentions earlier this year, ironically on World Password day, to implement new, universal passwordless sign-in methods, such as biometrics including face and fingerprint recognition, across all of their platforms and devices².

Most of us might already be familiar with these types of authentication methods as they are most often used to unlock our android and apple devices, confirm payments, and more.

But why should we change to passwordless authentication methods? What’s wrong with passwords? Read below to find out!

The beginning of passwords.

In 1961, a pioneer in the field of computer science, MIT professor Fernando Corbato, came across a challenge. Back in the 1960s, all professors at the MIT university were using a shared computer system known as the Compatible Time-Sharing System, or CTSS³. Therefore, all of their private files were stored in a single disk which would be accessed through a common mainframe. Worried about the fact that their individual files could be seen and accessed by anyone, Fernando came up with a solution – passwords. He gave each user a password with which they can only access their own files and no one else’s.

As time went on and computers became more accessible, passwords were, and still are, used as the main authentication method to protect private files due to their simplicity, which is now seen as one of its major flaws. Sure, some websites make it mandatory to have an alphanumeric password with special characters but they bring up their own set of problems and there’s only so much you can do to prevent unauthorized access to data through passwords, which brings me to my next point.

What’s wrong with passwords?

Here are the 2 major problems that occur with the use of passwords –

  1. Passwords aren’t User Friendly – As mentioned earlier, an attempt to make passwords more secure by mandating users to include both upper and lower case characters, special characters, and numbers while also requiring a minimum password length, makes it less user-friendly. Here’s why – by making lengthy and complex passwords, not only are they hard to remember but as a result, we often end up saving them on our browsers/password manager (which can be hacked, stolen, and leaked) or end up resetting the password and using the same password across multiple websites…which makes it less secure.
  2. Passwords aren’t Secure – It might be challenging to strike a balance between security and usability because a password that is easy to remember is also insecure, and a password that’s secure is harder to remember. Secure passwords might not be easily guessed compared to insecure passwords, but both types of passwords can be hacked and stolen through, for example, a brute force attack and can further be leaked or sold to third parties. Moreover, passwords can be forgotten which often ends up in resetting the password which can be troublesome if the same forgotten password was used for multiple websites.

Passwordless ways of authentication.

biometrics cybrary

In order to abandon passwords as a form of security and authentication, we need to create and implement/use other methods of securing private data. One of these security methods is already being widely used, most commonly, to unlock devices – Biometrics.

Biometrics

There are two types of biometrics that are often used for authentication – fingerprints and facial recognition. It is said that no two individuals have the same fingerprints, hence, not only does this make this authentication method more secure but it also removes the need to remember complex passwords. Moreover, it’s a faster process and improves user experience by removing the need to remember your fingerprint. Although this security method is much harder to bypass, it is not impossible, as fingerprints can be copied and replicated even though it’s hard to accomplish⁴.

Facial recognition is another biometric authentication method that uses a person’s face to verify his or her identity against already existing facial data. Facial recognition can be used by any device with digital photographic technology. For example, all modern models of iPhones are equipped with a TrueDepth camera system, neural networks, and bionic chips which all work together to project and analyze thousands of invisible dots in order to construct a 3-Dimensional map of your face and take an infrared image of it⁵. Similar to facial recognition, this method is a smooth, quick, and efficient way of authenticating a user and protecting your files. However, like any good authentication method, it has its disadvantages. For example, poor lighting can affect the efficiency of the system and might require multiple attempts to unlock the device/files. The use of facial accessories, such as face masks, scarves, hats, and more, can also lead to multiple unsuccessful attempts, and eventually, the system might ask you to remove them. Nonetheless, fingerprints and facial recognition are definitely a securer and safer way of authentication when compared with passwords.

Passwordless Multi-Factor Authentication

No, I am not referring to the security code or one-time password you get when you finally remember the correct password after multiple failed attempts, only to find out there’s an additional layer that requires you to enter another password, making you more frustrated.

This type of passwordless authentication method depends purely on a second device and eliminates the use of generating another password in the first place, which could’ve been accessed on the same device. It is slightly dependent on the use of biometrics and here’s how. For example, to log into your account, all you have to do is enter your email address and the system will send a push notification to the mobile number that is registered with the email. Unlike a normal 2-Factor Authentication where you are required to enter a password in the first place, and a security code or one-time password is sent to your email address which can be accessed on the same device, this type of authentication method requires you to open the push notification and approve the login attempt through 2 different ways – you will either be asked something in the lines of “We’ve noticed a login attempt from ABC device. Is this you?” and you’re required to choose yes or no. The second way is that the notification will contain 3 different numbers and you have to select the number that matches the number that is displayed on the device you are trying to log in to.

The push notification itself requires you to unlock the phone in the first place using biometric authentication, hence, it adds an extra layer of security. Furthermore, hackers or other third-party users who want to gain access to your account will find themselves in a difficult situation as they would need access to your phone and you⁶.

The only disadvantage this possibly portrays is that it is more time-consuming when compared to simply entering a password or using biometrics. Other than that, it is still considered to be safer and more securer than passwords.

The challenges of going passwordless.

One of the major challenges of using passwordless authentication is that it requires you to first create an account with a password before having the option to choose the passwordless authentication method. Another problem is that passwordless authentication will not be possible on legacy and older systems as they simply lack the technology to do so. Hence, if a company wishes to switch to passwordless authentication, replacing these legacy systems will become a necessity and would cost tens of thousands of dollars to do so.

Furthermore, there are legal and ethical concerns⁷ with the use of biometrics as a method of authentication as companies may not secure their employee’s biometric data or users might be suspicious of the software used to recognize their biometrics as, for example, the camera might never have been turned off after recognizing their face, which is a breach of privacy as the company might be using the camera to surveil or spy on them and can also be selling the data to third parties which can lead to even bigger problems such as identity theft and fraud.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that going passwordless would be a safer and smarter authentication method, especially as it guarantees a frictionless user experience and removes the threats of all password-based attacks as attackers wouldn’t be able to use passwords to log in simply because they won’t exist. This includes the two most dangerous attacks – Phishing and Brute Force attacks. Brute Force attacks would not work as there would be nothing to steal and Phishers wouldn’t be able to steal login credentials as they simply would not exist.

For those of you who are determined to use passwords, and we might be stuck with them for a while, I recommend using a password manager as they offer strong encryption and act as a place to keep all of your passwords in without having the need to memorize them. They also hold features such as generating and changing passwords in one click, and more. Even though they offer their own challenges, such as once hacked, all of your sensitive data will be vulnerable or your passwords might be being sold to third parties by the password managing companies themselves without consent, it is the best option for those who use and will continue to use passwords. But not all of us will be able to afford or want to pay for it.

With developments in technology and cyberattacks following suit, it is necessary that the required changes are made in relation to cybersecurity and that includes the end of passwords. It will undoubtedly take a while for websites and businesses to change from passwords to passwordless authentication methods but that time isn’t as far off as you might think…

Some facts and figures

Here are some facts and figures to help you decide whether you should go passwordless. What do you think? –

  • 90% of internet users fear that their passwords might be stolen¹.
  • More than 23 million people use “123456” (one of the most common passwords) as their password to protect their data¹.
  • 78% of Generation Z have been found using the same password across multiple accounts and websites⁸.
  • 73% of internet users believe that forgetting passwords is the most frustrating element of security⁸.
  • 69.7% of internet users fail to update their passwords once a year⁸.
  • 53% of internet users use only their memory to store and retrieve passwords⁸.
  • Only 35% of Americans trust password managers¹.
  • Every minute, 5-6 businesses become a victim of ransomware¹.

Bibliography

¹Krstic, Branko. “Impressive Password Statistics to Know in 2022.” WebTribunal, 6 Apr. 2022, webtribunal.net/blog/password-stats/#gref. Accessed 02 Nov. 2022.

²Bateman, Tom. “Big Tech Plans to Kill off Passwords Altogether. What next?” Euronews.next, 5 May 2022, www.euronews.com/next/2022/05/05/forget-passwords-apple-google-and-microsoft-say-you-won-t-need-them-at-all-in-the-future. Accessed 02 Nov. 2022.

³Holt, Rene. “A Short History of the Computer Password.” WeLiveSecurity, 4 May 2017, www.welivesecurity.com/2017/05/04/short-history-computer-password/. Accessed 03. Nov. 2022.

⁴Jirik, Pavel. “5 Popular Types of Biometric Authentication: Pros and Cons.” PHONEXIA Speech Technologies, 9 Sept. 2021, www.phonexia.com/blog/5-popular-types-of-biometric-authentication-pros-and-cons/. Accessed 04 Nov. 2022.

⁵Tillman, Maggie. “What Is Apple Face ID and How Does It Work?” Pocket-Lint, 4 Mar. 2022, www.pocket-lint.com/phones/news/apple/142207-what-is-apple-face-id-and-how-does-it-work. Accessed 04 Nov. 2022.

⁶Groeneveld, Rachid. “The Password Problem.” Nomios, 7 July 2021, www.nomios.com/news-blog/password-problem/. Acessed 04 Nov. 2022.

⁷Fernandez, Ray. “The Challenges Facing the Passwordless Future.” ESecurityPlanet, 25 Sept. 2022, www.esecurityplanet.com/applications/passwordless-challenges/. Accessed 04 Nov. 2022.

⁸Vojinovic, Ivana. “Save Your Data with These Empowering Password Statistics.” DataProt, 2 Nov. 2022, https://dataprot.net/statistics/password-statistics/. Accessed 05 Nov. 2022.

Honan, Mat. “The End of Passwords.” MIT Technology Review, 23 Feb. 2022, www.technologyreview.com/2022/02/23/1044953/password-login-cybersecurity/. Accessed 03 Nov. 2022.

Kinzer, Kelsey. “The Benefits and Challenges of Passwordless Authentication.” JumpCloud, 12 Jan. 2022, jumpcloud.com/blog/benefits-challenges-passwordless-authentication. Accessed 05 Nov. 2022.

Berhanu, Manny. “The Beginning of the End for Passwords.” FutureBusiness, 10 June 2022, future-business.org/the-beginning-of-the-end-for-passwords/. Accessed 03 Nov. 2022.

Rob. “The End of Passwords? Why the World Is Moving Away from This Traditional Method.” ROWND, 27 June 2022, blog.rownd.io/the-end-of-passwords-why-the-world-is-moving-away-from-this-traditional-method/. Accessed 05 Nov. 2022.

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