Using infrared light-emitting diodes (IREDs) from Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH of Regensburg, Germany as the light source, Fujitsu Ltd's ARROWS NX F-04G (marketed by telecoms firm NTT DOCOMO Inc, currently only in Japan) is said to be the world's first smartphone capable of being be unlocked by scanning the iris of the user. The IREDs are claimed to be the only products capable of the high power needed for iris scanning from a compact package.
Secure methods for unlocking cell phones and tablet computers are gaining importance because these devices are being used increasingly for sensitive applications such as online banking and online shopping. Not only do these methods provide better security, but they also offer a more convenient way for users to authenticate their phone, says Osram. Manufacturers are therefore increasingly turning to biometric identification as a secure and convenient solution. In addition to fingerprint scans, many manufacturers are now considering iris scanning. With this new biometric unlocking method, an infrared light illuminates the user's eye, and the camera on the smartphone simultaneously takes a picture of the iris in which characteristic features are then identified.
Picture: Osram Opto's Oslux SFH 4780S IRED.
Osram Opto claims that, at just 2.4mm high and emitting a typical radiant intensity of 2900mW per steradian (a combination currently available only from this IRED), its Oslux SFH 4780S LED offers the best size-to-performance ratio and, for the first time, opens up compact and reliable iris scanning for mobile devices.
The Oslux SFH 4780S' emission wavelength of 810nm enables the iris scanner to identify iris patterns for all eye colors – brown, blue, green and grey – with a high degree of reliability, claims Osram Opto. The light source is also extremely efficient, minimizing drain on mobile device batteries, it adds. In June, the firm was presented with the 2015 Kaiser Friedrich Research Award for its work in developing the Oslux SFH 4780S IRED.
