Bracelet Unlocks Devices with Heartbeat

Forget 1-2-3-4-5. A new wristband, dubbed the Nymi, promises to make password stress a thing of the past by using a wearer’s heartbeat to unlock devices. The bracelet is outfitted with an electrocardiogram sensor that can identify a user and then, in theory, start up just about anything from computer networks to automobiles, says Bionym, the Toronto-based startup that engineered the device. It looks cool, and while geeks everywhere are holding their breath, the device hasn’t gone through a formal security audit yet and may be vulnerable to hacking.