Tap-based User Authentication for Smartwatches

TL;DR

TapMeIn is an eyes-free, two-factor smartwatch authentication method using tap-melodies and physiological traits, achieving high accuracy, speed, and usability in various conditions.

Contribution

Introduces TapMeIn, a novel tap-based authentication system combining tap-melodies and biometric traits for smartwatches.

Findings

Achieves 98.7% accuracy with 0.98% false positive rate

Maintains performance during sitting and walking

Average authentication time of 2 seconds

Abstract

This paper presents TapMeIn, an eyes-free, two-factor authentication method for smartwatches. It allows users to tap a memorable melody (tap-password) of their choice anywhere on the touchscreen to unlock their watch. A user is verified based on the tap-password as well as her physiological and behavioral characteristics when tapping. Results from preliminary experiments with 41 participants show that TapMeIn could achieve an accuracy of 98.7% with a False Positive Rate of only 0.98%. In addition, TapMeIn retains its performance in different conditions such as sitting and walking. In terms of speed, TapMeIn has an average authentication time of 2 seconds. A user study with the System Usability Scale (SUS) tool suggests that TapMeIn has a high usability score.