Will your next password be your heartbeat?

Are you of those people who uses "password" as your online password? That's a rhetorical questions, but, believe me, if you answered "yes" you aren't alone.

While easy to remember passwords are great for logging into our growing number of devices and websites all seeking a unique combination of words and numbers to verify our identity, it compromises the whole point of the password: keeping your information and identity safe.

Fortunately, that may no longer be an issue. The answer: your heartbeat.

Bionym has created a new device called Nymi that verifies your identity based on your "unique cardiac rhythm."

But it isn't just computers and phones where this could be useful, as this video from Nymi shows:

Here's how it works according to the company:

When you clasp the Nymi around your wrist it powers on. By placing a finger on the topside sensor while your wrist is in contact with the bottom sensor, you complete an electrical circuit. After you feel a vibration and see the LEDs illuminate, your Nymi knows you are you and your devices will too. You will stay authenticated until your Nymi is taken off.

The device isn't quite ready to be shipped yet, but the company is currently taking pre-orders for $79. And that's because it looks like many of the visions the company shows in the video will need programming -- the company is seeking out developers -- to expand the capabilities of the device. Still, it's a fascinating look at how our future, password-free, connected world might work.

[h/t The Atlantic]

Image: Nymi

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com