Facial Recognition Technology
Facial recognition Technology is a cutting-edge innovation that identifies and verifies individuals based on their unique facial features.
Some smartphones use facial recognition technology to recognise a face and unlock the phone. Here, the technology simply identifies and recognises a person as the sole owner of the device, thus limiting access to others. Beyond unlocking phones, facial recognition is used in other places too, to identify people in photos, videos or in real time. It is a technology that compares a picture of a person’s face to a bunch of other faces stored in a computer in order to identify or confirm an individual’s identity.
The biometric software used in facial recognition technology uses mathematics to understand and remember how a person’s face looks and stores it as a faceprint. Deep learning algorithms are used to compare a live capture or digital image to the stored faceprint.
How it works
● Step 1: Face detection
The camera looks at a picture of a face. This can be just one face or a bunch of faces in a group.
● Step 2: Face analysis
Next, the camera closely examines the face and studies it. It pays attention to things like how far apart the eyes are, how deep the eyes are set, how long the face is from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and the unique shapes of the cheeks, lips, ears and chin. These are the particular points that make each face different.
● Step 3: Converting the face into numbers
The camera changes the face picture into a code made of numbers. It’s like turning your face into mathematical formula. This code is called a faceprint. Just like your fingerprint, your faceprint is also unique.
● Step 4: Finding a match
Now, when the faceprint is compared to a bunch of other faceprints stored in a computer, it is looking for a matching puzzle piece. If the faceprint matches the one in the computer, the computer would have found the face it belongs to.
How is it used
● Unlocking phones: New mobile phones now use facial recognition to unlock the device. This helps protect personal information and keeps sensitive data safe, especially if the phone gets stolen.
● Law enforcement: Facial recognition is used to identify people quickly and accurately. This is particularly useful in urgent situations when the police need to find someone dangerous or a person involved in a crime. Officers can also use their smartphones or other portable devices to take pictures of people and compare them instantly to a database of known faces to identify wanted individuals.
● Airports: Facial recognition is being used at security points within airports to make sure travellers are who they say they are. For example, in Indian airports, Digi Yatra is being used to allow travellers to move through airport checkpoints without using physical documents. Instead, they can use their face to prove their identity, which is linked to their boarding pass.
● Finding missing persons: Facial recognition can also be used to find missing persons. When reported, the missing person’s photo is added to a database. If their face is recognised at places where cameras are placed, such as airports, roads or railway stations, law enforcement can be notified, making it easier to find them.
It's important to note that while facial recognition can be very useful, there are also concerns about privacy, security and potential misuse of technology. We need to make sure we take the maximum advantage of it while also making it less risky.
Did you know?
Automated facial recognition was pioneered in the 1960s by Woody Bledsoe, Helen Chan Wolf and Charles Bisson, whose work focused on teaching computers to recognise human faces.
