In our current digital age where new technologies are developing at an extraordinary rate, it doesn't seem like we're too far off from realising concepts straight out of sci-fi movies. One such development comes courtesy of Disney Research Labs (who's REVEL project we recently featured) - objects that can effortlessly recognise you and respond to only your touch.

Developed by researchers Chris Harrison (Carnegie Mellon University), Munehiko Sato (University of Tokyo), and Ivan Poupyrev (Disney Research), Capacitive Fingerprinting explores how objects (for example touch screens) can learn to differentiate between different users.

The technology works by monitoring the electrical properties of humans, and how generated electrical frequencies interact differently with different users bodies. By firing small electrical frequencies through a user's body when they touch a screen, the technology can detect the exact electrical interaction with the particular biochemical makeup of their body, and use it to identify them. However, the exact electrical interaction is so sensitive it can fluctuate in a user across a day, meaning the the technology can only be used to identify individuals for a short period of time. As the developers explain, "at this point we’re investigating its use for short-term interaction that happens in simple games or in location-based entertainment."

What's most interesting about the development is the possibility of its use in objects other than iPads or laptops, creating the possibility of personalisation or interactive design on any given surface. We're excited to see how this technology will develop in the future. Check out the video above or read more info here.