Biometric Facial Recognition : Using facial traits to identify people

Basics of biometric facial recognition: Biometric Facial recognition analyzes the characteristics of an individual's face images captured through a digital video camera. It records the overall facial structure, including distances between eyes, nose, mouth, and jaw edges. These measurements are stored in a database and used as a comparison when a user stands before the camera. Biometric facial recognition has been widely, touted as a fantastic system for recognizing potential threats (whether terrorists, scam artists, or known criminals) but so far it has been unproven in high-level usage. It is currently used in verification only systems with a good deal of success.

Biometric Facial Recognition - The Process:

User faces the camera, standing about two feet from it. The system will locate the user's face and perform matches against the claimed identity on the facial database. It is possible that the user may need to to move and reattempt the verification based on his facial position. The system usually gives a decision in less than 5 seconds.

To prevent a fake face or mold from faking out the system, many systems now require the user to smile, blink, or otherwise move in a way that is human before verifying.


Biometric Facial Recognition-The Past:

The development stage for biometric facial recognition began in the late 1980s and commercially available systems were made available in the 1990s. While many people first heard about biometric facial recognition after September 11th, 2001, football fans were introduced to it at the Super Bowl several months earlier.


Use of biometric facial recognition systems:

Biometric facial recognition systems are currently gaining support as a potential tool for averting terrorist crimes, biometrics facial recognition is already in use in many law enforcement areas. Softwares have also been developed for computer networks and automated bank tellers that use facial biometrics for user verification purposes.


Evaluation of biometrics facial recognition technology:

One of the strongest positive aspects of facial biometric recognition is that it is non-intrusive. Verification or identification can be accomplished from two feet away or more, and without requiring the user to wait for long periods of time or do anything more than look at the camera.

That said, biometrics face recognition's non-intrusiveness is one of its disadvantages when it comes to public opinion. Many people have expressed concern over the potential use of facial recognition cameras placed hidden around cities that would attmept to identify passers-by without their knowledge or consent. However, the inherent difficulties in making a positive identification are larger than most people realize, and seem to make this biometric a better choice for verification systems, rather than identification.