Fingerprint

A 'safe' handgun is a relative term, but Colorado-based Biofire Technologies is taking a high-tech crack at the idea with its Biofire Smart Gun, which uses an electronic identification and firing system to prevent accidental or unauthorized use.

​More and more, we're seeing bike locks that open not with a key or combination, but with a fingerprint or Bluetooth signal. Almost all of those, however, are U-locks. What if you prefer the more compact form factor and wider reach of a folding lock? Well, that's where the ZiiLock comes in.

​As many a fancy-refrigerator-owner will know, fingerprints tend to be highly visible on stainless steel. A new transparent coating could help, however, as it goes about reducing the appearance of prints in three ways.

Italian company Agazzi Designs has integrated some high-tech thinking into what it bills as the first urban backpack with an anti-theft fingerprint scanner, built to ensure only those with the correct prints gain access to its contents. ​

​Hyundai has committed to becoming the world's first auto manufacturer to ship cars that open and start without any keys or smartphones whatsoever. The 2019 Santa Fe SUV will use fingerprint sensors for its door locks and ignition.

​Although 3D printers are able to produce some amazing objects, they can also crank out counterfeit goods, illegal firearms, and other not-so-nice creations. Soon, if someone is suspected of making such items, it could be possible to match the objects to that person's printer.

Let's face it – thieves know that high-end SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga are likely to contain stuff worth stealing. The automaker's Mulliner division obviously realizes that, because it's introducing an optional biometric secure stowage unit for the vehicle.

Vivo introduced a novel concept smartphone earlier this week. Not only does the Apex almost get rid of bezels from the front, but sounds belt out from the screen itself, half the display is a fingerprint scanner and the front camera pops up from inside the body when needed, and disappears when not.

Component maker Synaptics says its first in-display fingerprint sensor is now in mass production. And it's coming to a phone made by one of the top five manufacturers in the world sometime next year – which may mean we won't see every Android phone maker switch to a Face ID-style biometric system.

Microsoft has unveiled a nifty new keyboard with a clever little security measure built into it. One of its keys is not like the others, instead housing a fingerprint scanner that can be used to unlock a computer. The Modern Keyboard with Fingerprint ID also packs in some other nice features.

With a view to creating smoother, more minimalist devices, LG has just announced a new fingerprint sensor module that lives underneath the glass. Unless you know what you're looking for, you won't even know it's there.

​"Smart" bike locks may not quite be at the point where they're a dime a dozen, but there certainly are a number of them out there. The Grasp Lock, however, is a little different. It utilizes a built-in fingerprint reader to recognize its user.​