The tech company Tokenize introduced a biometric ring this year called ‘Token’. This ring is said to replace credit cards, key card, car keys, house keys and Passwords. Token is the first biometric ring that will have the ability to recognize you and authorize your transactions. This ring is completely useless without any co-operation of the third parties that enable those authorizations. But the company has successfully teamed up with leading companies like Microsoft, Visa, MasterCard and HID.
HID is said to be responsible for 80% of the keyless security systems in the market. Token will be using Microsoft’s Windows Hello authentication technology to let their users log into the Windows using the ring.
Microsoft execs say in a blog post “We are thrilled to work with Token to make the Windows Hello experience even better, With its simple design, Token – a biometric identity ring changing the way you prove and protect your identity by streamlining the process of authentication throughout your day – logs you into Windows 10 seamlessly in a way that feels natural and familiar.”
The users will be able to give authentication with just a hand tap. Token will be able to be used in public transports instead of a payment card because of its successful partnership with MasterCard. This ring will start shipping in the United States by the end of 2017. They will launch it outside the United States in 2018, however, pre-orders are available now.
The ‘Token’ has a fingerprint sensor inside that will confirm your identity. There is an onboard IR optical sensor on which you will slide the ring to make sure the device is on your finger. Once you remove the ring you will have to slide again on IR optical sensor for being able to use it. You can assign only one fingerprint to a ring as the company wants it to be a personal product. There will be an app through which you can set up your profile and add up your credentials, car keys, login passwords, credit cards etc.
The ring has a minimal design and is made up of silver Sterling, will be available in 7 different sizes. Token will come in black rhodium, rose gold finish, brushed silver which will cost $50 extra. The stand-alone price of the ring is $249. It will be water-resistant up to 50 meters which mean you don’t have to worry about taking it off while swimming or washing.
Speaking of security, the company uses their tokenization protection for credit card transactions. The Tokenize is very secure as all your credentials are stored on an EAL5+ certified secure element. The credentials are locked as soon as the ring is taken off. Tokenize is teamed up with major financial companies which are well known for security.
Token uses NFC for most situations, although they have to rely on Bluetooth for some situations like logging into laptops as some of the techs does not have NFC support. In a demo, it was shown that the company’s owner unlocks her laptop by sliding her ring on the table.
The Token’s battery is said to last up to three weeks on a single charge. The ring can be charged on a wireless charging cradle, the led light will blink to notify that the battery is down.