Exploiting Smart Phone Accelerometer as a Personal

Identification Mechanism
WAHEED UR REHMAN*, ASADULLAH LAGHARI*, AND ZULFIQAR MEMON*
RECEIVED ON 06.01.2015 ACCEPTED ON 28.05.2015

ABSTRACT
TThe contemporary technologies for personal identity recognition schemes like PIN or password has
been adopted and used extensively by the user community. However, these schemes have certain
drawbacks; i.e. they can be broken by using bruit force dictionary or by installing key loggers on the
system. On the other side, biometric techniques are safer as compared to password identification for
security purpose. This paper presents a new biometric security mechanism using accelerometer of
smart phone. The use of accelerometer is very common for activity recognition in the researcher
community. We have used the basic concepts of graph theory for identification mechanism. The accuracy
of identification mechanism was about 80.66%.

Key Words: Biometric Signature Identification, Pattern Recognition, Smartphone Accelerometer,

Graph Theory.

1. INTRODUCTION

W
hen some services are requested from a
system, a personal recognition scheme is
required to confirm the identity of a person.
The purpose of such system is to ensure the access of
legitimate user to that service. ATM, Computer systems
and mobile phones are the examples of such systems.
One of the available traditional technologies to confirm
the identity is knowledge based method (PIN or password).
People used to set their password based on the digits or
the words they can easily remember, for example the names
Another method of recognition scheme is biometric
system. It is a pattern recognition system that operates on
biometric data from an individual, extracting a set of
features from the data, and by comparing this feature set
against the templates present in the database [2].
Handwritten signature belongs to behavioral biometrics
and is widely acceptable biometric characteristics [3]. It is
the characteristic of an individual to write the name or
surname by his own hand in a unique style. However
some professional forgers have ability to fool the system
by reproducing signature of any person.

or the birthdays of their beloved. This traditional
mechanism of the use of password has been criticized due
to its weakness in the computer society, because such
type of passwords can easily be cracked by using guess
or using brute force dictionary [1].
The purpose of this paper is an effort to build an
identification system that overcomes the security
limitations of passwords. In this paper we have presented
a conceptual model of security across multiple systems
by using smart phone accelerometer. An accelerometer is

* Department of Computer Science, Institute of Business Administration, Sukkur.

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 Exploiting Smart Phone Accelerometer as a Personal Identification Mechanism

an essential part of smart-phone. This sensor measures
the linear movement in three dimensions and generates a
data element that contains the value of acceleration in all
three linear dimensions [4].
It is evident from the literature that accelerometer readings
provide a rich source of information about the movement
action of mobile phone holding by the individual [5].
Using accelerometer as User Interface has also been
proposed. If we take a smart-phone in our hand, and
move it as we are doing our signature in the air, during
this action the accelerometer will generate the data of
acceleration due to motion of phone that can be used as
a security signature.
2. RELATED WORK
Many biometric schemes for the security of system have
been proposed in the recent years. Graphical password
techniques are nowadays common and provide better
usability than text password [6]. Modern smart phone
using android operating system adopted a technique of
lock mechanism different from traditional PIN codes. It is
called pattern lock and it requires a pattern by drawing
lines on screen by the user to unlock the smart phone.
User starts the pattern by touching one of the dot and
swipe its finger to join other dots to form a particular
pattern. It requires minimum 4 and maximum 9 dots to create
the pattern. It is not allowed to repeat any node on the
way of horizontal, vertical or diagonal line. Due to this
limitation, the total numbers of possible patterns are
389,112 [7].
Some researchers proposed a recognition based schemes
which combines recall and recognition aspect by showing
images to the user and user have to select certain points
on the image [8-9]. Some existing graphical passwords
techniques have been designed for desktop computers
originally but many of them could be used for smart-phone
with touch screen.
Another technique of graphical password support multiple
fingers for simultaneous selection of points on the image
[10].
Another scheme named CHC (Convex Hull Click) is
introduced by [11]. It allows the user to prove the
knowledge about its graphical password safely in an
insecure location because users don’t want to click directly
to the image of their password. Entropy issue of pass-
icon is the disadvantage.
Another work of keystroke dynamic has been explained
[12]. In this scheme the dynamics of keystrokes have been
studied and it assumes that the timestamp generated by
the system related to press and release event of a key can
be processed. Keystroke dynamic can be monitored
unobtrusively when the person is keying the information.
Motion base side channel attacks can be used to detect
the key typed by any user.
3. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
Modern mobile phones are equipped with many useful
types of input sensors including camera (often multiple),
microphone, gyroscope, proximity sensor, GPS,
magnetometer, tri axial accelerometer etc. These sensors
are inexpensive, powerful and have versatile use in the
modern research. Services using these sensors of smart-
phone are also increasing. Especially some sensors like
gyroscope or 3 axis accelerometer have a lot of use to
recognize the activity of a person holding that smart phone.
Motion capturing sensors are rapidly becoming a key
function in consumer electronic devices including smart-
phone. In our experimental setup we have used tri axial
accelerometer on Android OS architecture. MATLAB was
used for pattern analysis.
3.1 Accelerometer
Accelerometer is a device used to measure the acceleration
of a moving object. Acceleration is the change in velocity

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 Exploiting Smart Phone Accelerometer as a Personal Identification Mechanism
(speed) per unit time. Tri axial accelerometer measures the
acceleration along x (lateral), y (longitudinal) and z (vertical)
axes (Fig. 1). It is a powerful side channel that can also be
used even the location based services are disabled on the
smartphone. The electronic accelerometer uses
piezoelectric properties of element [13]. It behaves like a
mass on a spring. When it experiences the acceleration,
the mass is displaced to the position at which spring can
accelerate the mass at same rate as smart phone. Now this
mechanical motion is converted into electrical signals that
are sensed and measured [14].
Accelerometer can measure static acceleration like
gravitational acceleration and also the acceleration of
moving body in m/s2. In a smart phone (such as HTC
Desire S) it generates its value up to 6 decimal places.
3.2 Hardware Platform
We used HTC Desire S as a hardware platform for our
experiment, one of the most widely used smart phone in
the market. It uses Google’s Android as operating system.
3.3 Software Setup
We developed an android application on HTC Desire S for
our experiment. It allows the user to start the activity of
doing his signature. The user picks the mobile phone in
his hand and by moving it in the air in the style of his hand
written signature. The accelerometer will send new reading
as it senses a change of 0.3 m/s2 in the acceleration value.
FIG. 1. AXIS OF ACCELEROMETER OF SMART-PHONE
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4. SIGNATURE IDENTIFICATION
SYSTEM
Signature identification system can also be implemented
for online security purpose. It may consist of an
identification module, which is the main module of system.
This main module is responsible for the complete
identification logic. System has an interface for the user to
interact with. User is asked to do the signature by moving
the mobile in the air as his hand written signature.
Accelerometer generates some data against the motion of
mobile phone. Smart phone transfers this data to
identification module. The data base of the system
contains data template storage. The identification module
matches the data of signature against all the templates
present in the data base, and find the best match. Generally
there are some predefined rules that must be satisfied for
identification, if best match satisfied that rules then the
person is identified as legitimate user.
In our system when user completes the activity of
signature, the accelerometer generates a signal that
contains three component of its reading to the system.
Let F be the function of signal, which is a three dimensional
vector. The vector can be represented as:
F =[x, y, z] (1)
Where x is the lateral component of acceleration, y is the
longitudinal component of acceleration and z is the vertical
component of acceleration
5. DATA ACQUISITION
As we have mentioned before, that our system uses tri-
axial accelerometer for the data acquisition. Accelerometer
sends packets containing all the three co-ordinates of
acceleration. Vertical component of acceleration must have
an additional value of gravitational acceleration
approximately equal to 9.8 m/s2. If mobile is picked so that
its screen faces upward then vertical component will be z,
 Exploiting Smart Phone Accelerometer as a Personal Identification Mechanism

but we observed that 9 out of 10 participants performed
the signature action by mobile device in such a way that
there vertical component was x component. So in that
case gravitational acceleration will be added in the x
component (Fig. 2).
Where DXn ,DYn and DZn, where n=1, 2, 3, 4… N, are
explained in Equations (2) (3) and (4).
The total weight ‘Wt’ for N strokes will be the sum of all
the weight of each stroke.

6. FEATURE EXTRACTION
Wt = W1 + W2 + W3+ ......+WN (6)
In order to continue the identification process firstly we
have to find the minimum and the maximum value of each
co-ordinate. For x co-ordinate we find Min(X) and Max(X)
and similarly for y and z axes. From these values we will
find the difference function for each axis. Difference
function for each co-ordinate axes can be written as:

DXn= Max(X)- Min(X) (2)

DYn= Max(Y)- Min(Y) (3)

DZn= Max(Z)- Min(Z) (4)

The second thing that we required is the Nstroke (Number

of Strokes) in a single signature. A stroke can be define as
the line start from a starting point where initial velocity
start from zero to an end point where deceleration occurs
and final velocity in that particular direction become zero.
(Deceleration is the negative acceleration or the rate of
decreasing of velocity). For further explanation of stroke
we take the help from graph theory (Fig. 3). FIG. 2. SIMPLIFIED ARCHITECTURE OF SIGNATURE
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
The above signature consist of three strokes, the first
stroke is from point A to point B. As we start from point A
and increase our speed then we decelerate and at point B,
the speed becomes zero in that direction. Similarly the
second stroke is from point B to point C and the third
stroke is from point C to point D.

Now we calculate the weight of each stroke of the graph.

In the above example the weight of first stroke (started
from point 1 and end at point 2) can be expressed as:

Wx  DX 12  DX 22  DX 32

W y  DY12  DY22  DY32

(5)
WY  DX  DX  DX
2
1
2
2
2
3 FIG. 3. CONTROL FLOW FOR STROKES

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 Exploiting Smart Phone Accelerometer as a Personal Identification Mechanism
7. GRAPH NORM FEATURE
Graph norm is a real number that represent the whole
signature of the graph. In our case the ratio of total weight
‘Wt’ to the Number of strokes ‘Nstroke’ can be consider
as a graph norm (Gnorm).
Wt
Gnorm  (7)
N Stroke
The value of Gnorm for a normal person almost remains
same. This feature will enhance the value in the
identification process.
8. USER REGISTRATION
For the registration of user, he should perform the
signature process at least 20 times. Each signature
produces its own graph that will be stored in the data base
for one user. During the process of identification, all the
stored graphs will be considered for best match.
9. IDENTIFICATION PROCESS
In the process of identification we use all the features
extracted from the graph. These features will be compared
against the set of signature templates present in the
database to get the best match. This will be a time
consuming process. To speed up the system we have to
choose fast classifier so that only legitimate user; who
successfully satisfy certain rules are allowed to continue
the process of identification.
10. IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURE
After the user performs his signature using smartphone
the identification procedure will start. In first step the
graph norm and number of stokes are calculated and
classified. If the system matches these values with
templates in database then the identification procedure
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will be over and the user will be recognized as a potential
signatory.
11. SYSTEM RESULT
The proposed system for identification was tested on 20
users. For registration process each user has to provide
10 signatures. Total of 300 identification tests were
performed by the live user. In 242 cases the system
correctly identified the user. In 45 cases wrong users
were identified. In 13 cases the system does not
suggested any user. So the identification accuracy was
about 80.66%.
12. CONCLUSION AND SCOPE OF
FUTURE WORK
In this paper, a new approach for security signature has
been proposed. This approach is based upon the
accelerometer coordinates of smart phone, when the user
performs the signature in air by holding smart phone in
his hand. Since this approach uses graph theory for
identification, which has proven to be a good tool in the
biometric system. This system can also be used for on-
line identification applications. This method is not perfect
one, because we have used only very basic concept of
graph theory for signature identification. The field of graph
theory is wide, so in future some more feature of the graph
theory will include in our work to make it more perfect.
Furthermore we have not considered the Euler motion or
the angular rotation of smart phone. So in future we will
also add the co-ordinates of gyroscope in our system to
make it more perfect.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Authors are thankful to the teachers of FFC (Fauji Fertilizer
Company) School, who participated as volunteers for
signature trials on our proposed system. Any opinion,
finding, conclusion or recommendation expressed in the
research article are those of authors only.
 Exploiting Smart Phone Accelerometer as a Personal Identification Mechanism
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