Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Secure Data Storage... On Your Fingernails

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the information-at-the-tips-of-your-fingers dept.

opticsorg writes "Secure optical data storage could soon literally be at your fingertips thanks to work being carried out in Japan. Yoshio Hayasaki and his colleagues have discovered that data can be written into a human fingernail by irradiating it with femtosecond laser pulses. Capacities are said to be up to 5 mega bits and the stored data lasts for 6 months - the length of time it takes a fingernail to be completely replaced."

4 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. But what if by LrdZombie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You bite your fingernails?

  2. would be a good idea except by kalpol · · Score: 5, Funny
    Talk about thumb drives.

    Imagine losing your data when you hit your thumb with a hammer.

    --
    12:50 - press return.
  3. Re:6 months? by wcb4 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There should be continuous data loss as the nail grows. I would assume that the 5mb that they mention would be the entire nail, but part of that data would be lost as soon as you cut or bit your nails, or if they broke off.... Not really sure what you would use this for other than biometric identification, but you would have to be sure that the person did not allow the nail to grow out completely and then cut it off and use the nail as an overlay later.

    --
    I reject your reality ... and substitute my own.
  4. Re:Fingernails by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Boss: "Johnson, do you have that report yet?"
    Johnson: "Sure do boss, it's right here!" *waves middle finger*