Developers Tout New Biometric Sensor Technology

Neteera Technologies Ltd., a startup spun-off from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Yissum Research Development arm, says it has developed a new biometric sensing technology for personal identification and health monitoring that it plans to launch next year.

The technology, which is based on electromagnetic emissions from sweat ducts, is more accurate than fingerprints and retinal scanning, the developers claim. In addition to identifying users, Neteera says, the technology can be used to measure various biological indicators, including stress levels, fatigue, blood-alcohol content and drug abuse.

The company is targeting applications in the transportation, consumer electronics, healthcare, information-technology and homeland security industries. Potential in-vehicle uses include an ID signature to enter or start a vehicle, a safeguard against drunk driving and a health monitor alert.

The technology was invented by a pair of University of Jerusalem researchers: Yuri Feldman, a professor of applied physics, and Paul Ben Ishai, manager of the school’s Center for Electromagnetic Research and Characterization.

The developers say every person’s electromagnetic skin signature is unique, correlating with the distribution and dielectric properties of their sweat ducts, and can be used to monitor various physiological parameters via a sub-terahertz imaging camera. The remote biometric monitoring eliminates errors caused by lighting, noise levels and physical behavioral variations, according to Neteera, which notes that the imaging camera’s 0.1-10THz range detects radiation between the microwave and infrared spectrums.

The company, which has raised $2 million from private investors during its first round of funding, is headed by Isaac Litman. He previously led the aftermarket operations of Mobileye NV, a telematics software provider that also was spun-off from Yissum Research. Since its formation in 1964 as the university’s technology transfer arm, Yissum has spun-off 110 companies and granted more than 825 technology licenses that generate a combined $2 billion in sales annually.