Physical key / edge detection software and PIN to generate private key

BIP: XX Title: Physical key / edge detection software and PIN to generate a Bitcoin private key Author: Jack Scott Status: Idea Type: Standard Track Created: 13-3-2014

Abstract: A method is proposed to generate a Bitcoin private key by using a physical key in conjunction with image recognition software and a PIN. Use edge detection software applied to incoming video feed to convert the shape of a physical key into an equation that describes the key. The hash of the key's equation plus a user generated five digit pin can then be used to create a Bitcoin private key.

On Fri, Mar 14, 2014 at 3:38 AM, Jack Scott <jack.scott.public@gmail•com>wrote:

> A method is proposed to generate a Bitcoin private key by using a physical
> key in conjunction with image recognition software and a PIN.  Use edge
> detection software applied to incoming video feed to convert the shape of a
> physical key into an equation that describes the key.  The hash of the
> key's equation plus a user generated five digit pin can then be used to
> create a Bitcoin private key.
>

Some practical nits:

- Physical keys are vulnerable to photography-based reproduction attacks. That gets even worse if you use them to identify to a digital system as you can leave out the tiresome manual reproduction step.

- The output from computer vision algorithms is notoriously noisy. If you use that as input for hashing a private key, it may become hard/impossible to reproduce (also, physical objects may deform over time).

Wladimir

On Thu, Mar 13, 2014 at 9:38 PM, Jack Scott <jack.scott.public@gmail•com>wrote:

> BIP: XX
> Title: Physical key / edge detection software and PIN to generate a
> Bitcoin private key
> Author: Jack Scott
> Status: Idea
> Type: Standard Track
> Created: 13-3-2014
>
> Abstract:
> A method is proposed to generate a Bitcoin private key by using a physical
> key in conjunction with image recognition software and a PIN.  Use edge
> detection software applied to incoming video feed to convert the shape of a
> physical key into an equation that describes the key.  The hash of the
> key's equation plus a user generated five digit pin can then be used to
> create a Bitcoin private key.
>
>

Interesting idea, though as Wladimir mentioned, a real-world "key" is much less secure than a Bitcoin/PGP "key", though in this case, I could see your physical/visual "key" being any complex, high-contrast image (like a Motion Tracking Target: https://www.google.com/search?q=tracking+markers&tbm=isch), if just using edge-detection (a high-contrast image would help make low-light or out-of-focus shots still able to be detected), though like a QR-code, it should probably have calibration markers in the corners to specify orientation (would help decoding a skewed or rotated image) and the standard should enforce some minimum level of complexity to prevent really simple and easy-to-reproduce/steal keys .

Though if you're getting to that level of complexity, you might as well just have a QR code of the private key.

Brooks