Just how much high technology can you cram into a mobile phone? Putting an iris scanner into your mobile phone sounds like a highly futuristic concept, almost like trying out James Bond's shoes.

The most interesting thing about this idea is that almost any camera-enabled handset is capable of supporting it. There is no additional hardware required, as the phone only needs an extra software to be installed. This means that all you need is a camera to take a picture of the iris and enough performances from the device to support the application which reads this image.

In order to run the Iris Recognition Technology, the mobile phone has to be equipped with a camera capable of at least 1 megapixel resolution, although a 2 megapixel one would make it more probable to see better results.

Oki Electronic is currently working on ways to make this technology perfect and ready for use at a large scale. The software currently runs on both windows Mobile and Symbian platforms, but, unfortunately for many, that leaves out iPhone smartphones.

The technology is based on the fact that each iris has a different pattern, similar to that of a fingerprint. The uses for such a concept are unlimited and rest mostly in security systems. A password, as complex as it may be, can eventually be discovered or stolen, whereas nobody can replicate the iris pattern of anybody else.

The greatest advantage for introducing this technology on mobile phones at a large scale is that it needs only few resources from the handset and no additional software. This means that anyone owning an evolved cellular can turn it into a safe device for storing personal information. Oki Electronic has made no specifications on the date when this software will be available for everyone to use or the price that it will come at.