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Instead of looking for design solutions to fix existing problems in privacy, I School researchers used speculative design fictions to explore the potential privacy issues that may arise in future uses and adoptions of emerging biosensing technologies.

“If we recognize that technologies can help embed and promote social values that affect people's lives,” said Richmond Wong, “then we should be thoughtful about these social values during the design and development of technological systems. Privacy by Design argues that privacy should be addressed throughout the design process, not just as an afterthought. It also suggests that engineers and designers have a role to play in addressing privacy, in addition to legal professionals.”

School of Information researchers are making what once may have been considered a technological fiction a reality through their innovative biosensing research. Consumers may soon find “passthoughts” technology in their own arsenal of security tools.

A passthought is a particular thought or memory, recorded through brainwave measurements using electroencephalograms (EEGs), that acts as a substitute for a traditional password.  The researchers have developed a custom-fit earpiece that that can capture brainwave signals from the ear canal, and with it made the first-ever demonstration of one-step three-factor authentication.