Stare into this phone and feel safe

Despite its decidedly creepy photo, this technology might actually help you sleep at night. Japan's Oki Electric has developed an iris-recognition security system for mobile phones and plans to release it commercially in March, according to Pink Tentacle.

What makes this technology different from other eye-scanning systems is that it can work with any camera-equipped cell phone or PDA, as long as it uses Oki's software. Although the company developed the system to improve security for phone payments, the technology presumably could be extended to other important uses as well. A similar system for laptops, for example, could go a long way toward curbing security breaches from lost or stolen computers.

And don't try to fool it with a picture of the phone's owner, either. The system can reportedly distinguish photos from the real orbs.

(Photo: Nikkei Net)