Apple and Samsung made bets on fingerprint scanning for their flagship phones but Fujitsu is taking a different route . The Japanese firm has developed an iris authentication system that unlocks a smartphone screen by scanning your eyes . And its prototype can be used to log into Facebook , email or other web services . Scroll down for video . Japanese firm Fujitsu has developed an iris authentication system that unlocks a smartphone screen by scanning your eyes . The prototype ( pictured ) can be used to log into Facebook , email or other web services . The demo of the prototype is on display at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona . ‘ Fujitsu ’ s new authentication method uses iris recognition , which is hard to forge and convenient to use , ’ the firm told MailOnline . ‘ The screen can be unlocked simply by looking at it , which eliminates the trouble of having to use [ your ] hands when wearing gloves and can ’ t use a fingerprint. ’ The end of the password ? For its prototype ( demo pictured ) , Fujitsu has built a miniature scanner so it fits on the front of a smartphone.It recognises the pattern by shining an infrared LED light on the sensor onto the eyes and taking a picture of the patten with the infrared camera . Fujitsu has developed a ‘ custom compact and high-output infrared LED ’ , and a custom infrared camera . Movements of the smooth muscle of the iris make the eye ’ s openings larger or smaller , which in turn adjusts the amount of light that enters the retina . These were combined with Fujitsu ’ s camera controller technology and biometric-authentication technology . It identifies a person by scanning the pattern of their iris . The pattern doesn ’ t change significantly after the age of two , and it is difficult to injure its surface and difficult to forge . Movements of the smooth muscle of the iris make the eye ’ s openings larger or smaller , which in turn adjusts the amount of light that enters the retina . For its prototype , Fujitsu has built a miniature scanner so it fits on the front of a smartphone . It recognises the pattern by shining an infrared LED light on the sensor into the eyes and taking a picture of the pattern with the infrared camera . This pattern is registered and linked to the user . Each time they look at their phone , the sensor scans their eye , matches it with the stored image and unlocks the device . ‘ The system can reliably authenticate the detailed patterns of the iris and that can be used in most everyday situations , ’ a spokesman for Fujitsu told MaiOnline . ‘ This can be used at a normal smartphone viewing distance , rather than within the 10cm range most existing iris recognition systems require . ‘ And in safety testing , the infrared LED light was verified to be safe for the eyes. ’ The pattern on a person 's iris doesn ’ t change significantly after the age of two , and it is difficult to injure its surface and difficult to forge . Here a diagram shows how infra red scanning is used to identify a person . Iris authentication is a type of biometric authentication , similar to fingerprint scanners . It identifies a person by scanning the pattern of their iris , which is the ring around the pupil of the eye . Chip maker Qualcomm has unveiled its Sense ID 3D fingerprint scanner - the first biometric sensor using ultrasonic technology . It uses ultrasonic sound waves to capture the ridges , sweat pores and more on the tip of a finger in greater detail than capacitive touch ID sensors seen on the likes of Apple and Samsung devices . This not only makes it more accurate than other sensors , but it will also work even if the user ’ s hands are wet or have dirt or lotions on it , for example . Phones running Sense ID are expected to launch later this year , but Qualcomm did not reveal to MailOnline which devices or manufacturers it is working with . The pattern doesn ’ t change significantly after the age of two , and it is difficult to injure its surface and difficult to forge . Movements of the smooth muscle of the iris make the eye ’ s openings larger or smaller , which in turn adjusts the amount of light that enters the retina . For its prototype , Fujitsu has built a miniature scanner it fits on the front of a smartphone . Previous versions of similar technology have been larger or not powerful enough for phones and tablets . Fujitsu ’ s technology recognises the pattern by shining an infrared LED light on the sensor onto the eyes and taking a picture of the patten with the infrared camera . This pattern is registered and linked to the user and each time they look at their phone , the sensor scans their eye , matches it with the stored image and unlocks the device . Fujitsu told MailOnline the sensor will work from ‘ a standard smartphone viewing distance ’ , which is said to be up to 9 inches ( 22cm ) . Traditional iris authentication systems work up to 3inches ( 10cm ) , for example .
Fujitsu has developed an iris authentication system . It unlocks a smartphone screen by scanning your eyes . And it can be used to log into Facebook , email or other sites . Technology recognises iris pattern by shining infrared light onto the eyes . It takes an image of the iris pattern with the infrared camera which is then cross-referenced each time the user looks at their phone .