Identity theft. It is a huge problem in the world of consumers. Because identity thieves are getting better at what they do, plain ID cards seem to be weak forms of personal identification. Yes, they still prove valid and strong, but scanning or losing them is all it takes to take you down. Biometrics have significantly improved the way people are identified.

Through fingerprint scanning and digital photographs, your identity is secure. To enhance this form of identification, body odor is now a form of biometrics. If your dogs could speak, they could tell you that each person has a unique body odor. The challenge is just to develop the sensors to become as sharp as a dog’s sense of smell. Patterns of chemical smell in humans can be identified eventually through a special technology. It is being developed by Llia Sistemas (a Tech consulting firm in Spain). Through this technology, body odor can be used as a form of a strong identifier.

Body Odor and Brain Waves: 5 Cool New ID Technologies

Many driver’s licenses and passports have holograms and other types of sophisticated security embedded in them, but for the most part, people still heavily rely on ID cards to prove who they are. Biometric identification technologies, such as fingerprinting and iris scanning, are already being used to speed up security clearance at several airports in the United States. Iris scanning is also gaining support in the health care industry, as a way to prevent fraud and combat identity theft. Now, ID tech is moving into new realms, with devices that could distinguish individuals by their veins, brain waves and even body odor. Here are five emerging alternatives to traditional identification: