Security in a Heartbeat
October 9, 2019 | Sandia National LaboratoriesEstimated reading time: 3 minutes

A thumbprint to unlock a door. An eye scan to unlatch a vault. Both were once ideas of the future that may become things of the past if current research is successful.
Sandia National Laboratories is collaborating with a New Mexico small business to test and develop a biometric security system based on the human heartbeat. Sandia signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Albuquerque-based Aquila Inc. to develop and test a wearable prototype that can stream in real time an identifying signature based on the electrical activity of a person’s heart.
Sandia brings to the CRADA, signed in July, “the expertise in security systems and testing facilities that will allow us to emulate real-world characteristics to test access-control prototypes,” Sandia engineer Steven Horowitz said. “We have expertise in the types of specialized facilities this could be used in.”
In addition to sharing Sandia’s expertise in testing new technology, the CRADA has the added value of pairing a New Mexico small business with the national lab.
“Any opportunity Sandia has to work with a local small business such as Aquila not only has palpable economic impact but brings a new perspective and energy to the core mission of the labs,” Sandia CRADA specialist Jason Martinez said.
Aquila says wearable technology could be economic security tool
Aquila and Sandia will jointly assess the form the wearable may take, such as a wristband or chest strap. It would be an alternative to such things as fingerprints and eye scans when those access-control methods might be limited, such as in a laboratory where gloves or eye protection may be necessary.
Aquila’s wearable plans to use software developed by U.K.-based B-Secur that enables a heart rate and other wellness indicators to be streamed in real time.
“B-Secur’s HeartKey includes the ability to identify and authenticate an individual from their unique electrocardiogram signature,” said Steve Kadner, Aquila’s executive vice president. “The objective for the new system is to meet or exceed the current fingerprint or iris readers for access control and position tracking purposes both operationally and economically.”
An electrocardiogram is a record of the heart’s electrical activity during a heartbeat. The are several different measurable features, which together produce an individual signature.
Sandia’s physical security facilities will test technology’s performance
The technology recognizes the wearer’s individual electrocardiogram signature and transmits a signal allowing the user access to a specific location, Horowitz said. The initial tests would be to see how the wearable communicates with access-control architecture, and additionally if it could effectively track a person’s movement within a facility.
Such function could be useful for Sandia and its national security mission as well as other industries, including hospitals, according to those involved in the research. The CRADA’s content and direction was born from similar biometric security concepts Sandia has worked on and tested in the past, and from research Aquila was conducting. The new agreement aims to build on the previous research and take it to a higher technological readiness level.
“Sandia will draw upon its subject-matter expertise in access control to evaluate the performance of the system in scenarios similar to those in potentially applicable facilities,” Horowitz said. Sandia has particular expertise with systems where enhanced physical security and access control are necessary for domestic and international threat-reduction initiatives.
Under the terms of the CRADA, Sandia and Aquila expect to complete the development and testing of the prototype in a year.
About Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California.
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
PC Graphics Add-in Board Shipments Up 27% QoQ in 2Q25
09/03/2025 | Jon Peddie ResearchAccording to a new research report from the analyst firm Jon Peddie Research, the growth of the global PC-based graphics add-in board market reached 11.6 million units in Q2'25 and desktop PC CPUs shipments increased to 21.7 million units.
PC GPU Shipments Up 8.4% in 2Q25 on Pre-Tariff Demand
09/02/2025 | Jon Peddie ResearchJon Peddie Research reports the growth of the global PC-based graphics processor unit (GPU) market reached 74.7 million units in Q2'25, and PC CPU shipments increased to 66.9 million units.
20 Years of Center Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT) – Backbone of German Semiconductor Research Celebrates Anniversary
08/14/2025 | Fraunhofer IPMSThe Center Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT) of the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Since its founding in 2005, it has developed into a pillar of applied semiconductor research in Germany and Europe. With its unique research cleanroom and equipment adhering to the 300-mm wafer industry standard, CNT is unparalleled in Germany and serves as a central innovation driver for the microelectronics industry.
Q2 Client CPU Shipments Increased 8% from Last Quarter, Up 13% YoY
08/13/2025 | Jon Peddie ResearchJon Peddie Research reports that the global client CPU market expanded for two quarters in a row, and in Q2’25, it showed unseasonal growth of 7.9% from last quarter, while server CPU shipments increased 22% year over year.
FuriosaAI Closes $125M Investment Round to Scale Production of Next-Gen AI Inference Chip
07/31/2025 | BUSINESS WIREFuriosaAI, a semiconductor company building a new foundation for AI compute, today announced it has completed a $125 million Series C bridge funding round. The investment continues a period of significant momentum for Furiosa as global demand for high-performance, efficient AI infrastructure soars.