Patent granted for OLED biometric Flash drive

The development of a self-nuking Flash drive is already underway. But if you don’t fancy blowing up misplaced data in order to keep it secure, then you’ll soon be able to keep files safe with just one finger, or thumb.

This biometric Flash drive sports an OLED screen

The Ennova Direct Corporation has been awarded a patent in North America for a USB Flash drive with an integrated biometric reader, which it aims to have on the market by the first quarter of next year.

USB drives with on-board fingerprint readers have been around for ages, but these use scanners over which you swipe your digit. The Ennova drive will insead incorporate a small OLED panel that you’ll have to press your digit onto before data access is granted.

If you’re fingerprint passes the authentication test then the display will turn one colour – green, presumably – but if not then it’ll turn another colour.

Another cool feature will be that the OLED will also let you visually “select specific files and initiate specific functions”. The OLED will also retract into the Flash drive’s body to help protect both the screen and USB jack.

Potential prices or capacity options haven’t been announced yet. ®