Android might have face unlock, which has been defeated previously with photos, but EyeVerify is aiming to take things a step further. At Mobile World Congress this week, the company is demonstrating its Eyeprint technology that's designed to scan a users eye veins and grant them access to a phone or application.

We got to try the software today, and it's clear it's in the very early stages of being ready for your average smartphone. A prototype app running on an iPod showed how Eyeprint works by using the front or rear facing cameras of a device. On the rear camera the technology takes advantage of the LED flash to secure a solid image of the eye, before assessing the quality of the image and then segmenting it into sections for a verification process. To use a front facing camera, EyeVerify says you'll need a 2-megapixel shooter or higher, and you simply hold it up to your face. The verification process requires a user to look to the very right and left with their eyeballs to ensure it can pick up the eye veins.

EyeVerify is starting a beta program from March through May that will offer developers an early look at the prototype apps, SDK, and technical documentation. The company is working with manufacturers and developers to bring this to life in smartphones and other camera equipped devices. EyeVerify claims this technology is more accurate than facial recognition, so if it makes its way into devices at some point in the future then it could be a convenient way to secure a device or a smartphone application.