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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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New Technology Uses Skull Vibrations to Authenticate Users in Virtual Reality

Imagine a future where you never have to type a password, scan your eyes, or remember a PIN to access virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality platforms. Thanks to researchers at Rutgers University, that future might be closer than you think. A team of engineers and computer scientists has developed a groundbreaking authentication system that identifies users based on tiny vibrations from their own breathing and heartbeat.

This innovative software, called VitalID, promises to make logging in seamless, secure, and continuous. Instead of interrupting immersive experiences with login prompts, XR (extended reality) headsets could quietly verify who you are, all in the background.

Extended Reality is Everywhere

Extended reality—or XR—encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). While these technologies were once mostly associated with gaming, they are rapidly expanding into finance, healthcare, education, and remote work. People now use XR headsets not just for entertainment, but to access sensitive personal data, medical records, and enterprise systems.

This growth creates a new challenge: security in immersive environments. Typing passwords or using two-factor authentication in a VR headset is awkward, and iris scanners increase hardware costs. Users need authentication methods that work naturally and continuously.

“XR is becoming a gateway to everyday internet services, many of which involve sensitive personal data,” said Yingying Chen, Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rutgers School of Engineering. “We need authentication that works without adding hardware.”

How VitalID Works

At the heart of VitalID is a surprisingly simple idea: the human body is always vibrating. Even when sitting still, tiny motions from each heartbeat and breath travel through the body. When these vibrations reach the skull, they create patterns that are unique to each person.

Every skull has a different shape, thickness, and bone structure, while facial tissues like muscles and fat further influence the vibrations. These variations produce distinct vibration signatures, almost like a fingerprint.

Motion sensors already built into XR headsets can detect these tiny vibrations. By analyzing them with advanced computer models, VitalID can determine who is wearing the headset. The result is effortless, continuous authentication—without any additional devices or hardware.

Testing and Results

The research team tested VitalID over a 10-month period with 52 participants using two popular XR headsets. The results were impressive:

  • Legitimate users were correctly authenticated over 95% of the time.

  • Unauthorized users were rejected more than 98% of the time.

To achieve this, the system uses a filtering method to remove interference from normal head or body movements, ensuring it only analyzes the subtle vibrations caused by breathing and heartbeat.

Because the vibrations travel internally through bone and tissue, the method is inherently difficult to spoof. While someone could imitate another person’s breathing rhythm, replicating the exact biomechanical properties of their skull is nearly impossible.

Continuous and Invisible Authentication

One of the most exciting aspects of VitalID is that it works in the background, continuously verifying the user’s identity as long as the headset is worn. This could revolutionize XR security by eliminating the need to pause experiences to log in. Imagine entering a virtual meeting, accessing your bank account, or exploring a remote training simulation without ever typing a password or scanning your eyes.

Collaboration and Recognition

The study was conducted through a collaboration between:

  • Rutgers University, led by Yingying Chen

  • New Jersey Institute of Technology, with Cong Shi

  • Temple University, with Yan Wang

  • Texas A&M University, with Nitesh Saxena

The research was presented in November at the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security in Taipei, Taiwan, a major annual event organized by the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Security, Audit, and Control. The work received a Distinguished Paper Award for its innovation.

The Potential Impact

If adopted commercially, VitalID could transform how XR users interact with technology. Users could access:

  • Financial platforms in VR or AR

  • Medical records securely inside immersive simulations

  • Enterprise applications without breaking workflow

Moreover, by relying solely on software and existing headset sensors, the technology avoids adding expensive or cumbersome hardware. This makes it accessible for both consumer and enterprise XR devices.

“Extended reality will play a major role in our future,” Chen explained. “If immersive systems are going to become woven into daily life, authentication has to be secure, continuous, and effortless.”

Moving Toward Commercial Use

Rutgers Technology Transfer has already filed a provisional patent application covering VitalID. The team envisions future XR devices incorporating this system as a standard feature, providing security that feels natural, invisible, and personal.

This approach also opens possibilities beyond XR. Any wearable device that detects small vibrations—such as head-mounted displays, smart helmets, or even hearing aids—could potentially adopt this method for password-free authentication.

Challenges Ahead

While VitalID is promising, some challenges remain. For instance, how well does it perform under extreme physical activity, illness, or long-term physiological changes? Researchers will need to explore these factors before large-scale deployment.

Additionally, privacy considerations will be critical. Even though the system relies on subtle vibrations, users must trust that their biometric data is stored and processed securely.

A Glimpse Into the Future

VitalID represents a major step toward frictionless, secure XR experiences. By turning the natural vibrations of our own bodies into unique digital keys, Rutgers researchers have bridged the gap between human biology and technology.

As XR continues to expand into daily life, innovations like this could redefine security, making immersive environments more convenient, more private, and more human-centric.

In the near future, logging into a virtual world may be as simple as breathing naturally.

Reference: Tianfang Zhang et al., Harnessing Vital Sign Vibration Harmonics for Effortless and Inbuilt XR User Authentication, Proceedings of the 2025 ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security (2025). DOI: 10.1145/3719027.3765060


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