Face recognition has been made more accessible and precise thanks to various technologies. Gradients are one of these since they essentially replace the original image with one that emphasizes the essential features for face identification. Each pixel is substituted with a relative lighting representation in this scenario, which shows how the pixel’s brightness relates to the brightness of the pixels around it—this relative dimension aids in recognising the same face in various lighting situations.
Projecting is another option. When a 2D picture is projected onto a 3D form, such as a cylinder, this is known as projection. Differentiating traits that would be hard to recognise in a static and flat image are exposed when a face is wrapped around a 3D object. You can use projection to get around the restrictions of 2D facial recognition. To attain excellent accuracy using this approach, you don’t require an image taken in optimal settings.
The approach of facial recognition may be used in a variety of situations. The following are some of the important and popular applications of Facial Recognition
Unlocking Phones
Several phones, including the most current iPhones, employ face recognition to unlock them. If the phone is stolen, the technology provides a reliable way of securing personal data and guaranteeing that sensitive data remains unavailable. The chances of a random face unlocking your phone, according to Apple, are one in a million.
Law Enforcement
Facial recognition technology is regularly used by law enforcement. According to an NBC story, technology is growing increasingly popular among police enforcement organizations in the United States, and the same is true in other countries. Arrestees’ mugshots are collected and compared to face recognition databases at the municipal, state, and federal levels. When a photo of an arrestee is taken, it is stored in databases and examined whenever police undertake another criminal investigation.
Furthermore, authorities can use cell phones, tablets, or other portable devices to photograph a driver or a pedestrian in the field and immediately compare the shot to one or more facial recognition databases to identify them.
Airports and Border Control
Facial recognition technology is now widely used in airports throughout the world. Biometric passports are becoming increasingly popular since they allow travelers to skip the long lines and instead walk through an automated ePassport control to get to the gate faster. Face recognition can help airports reduce wait times, but it can also assist them in improving security. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, face recognition will be used on 97% of travelers by 2023. Large-scale events, such as the Olympics and airports and border crossings, benefit from the technology.
Finding missing persons
Missing persons and victims of human trafficking might be tracked down using facial recognition technology. Assume that the database contains missing persons. In that case, law enforcement may be alerted as soon as they are spotted by face recognition – whether in an airport, a retail store, or another public location.
Banking
Biometric online banking is another benefit of facial recognition. Instead of using one-time passwords, customers may authorize transactions simply by glancing at their smartphone or computer. Face recognition cannot be used to crack passwords. If hackers get access to your image database, ‘lifeless’ detection — a technique that determines if the source of a biometric sample is a natural person or a fictional representation – should (in theory) prevent them from impersonating you. Face recognition technology can replace debit cards and signatures altogether.
Marketing and Advertising
Marketers have used face recognition to improve the consumer experience. For example, DiGiorno, a frozen pizza company, used facial recognition for a 2017 marketing campaign. It measured people’s emotional reactions to pizza by observing people’s moods at DiGiorno-themed events. Media companies employ facial recognition to gauge audience reactions to movie trailers, TV pilot characters, and the best placement of television advertising. Businesses can use face recognition technology on billboards to activate customized advertisements too.
Healthcare
In hospitals, facial recognition technology is utilized to help inpatient care. Healthcare professionals use face recognition to access patient information, speed up registration, identify patients’ emotions and discomfort, and even help diagnose some genetic disorders. AiCure has developed facial recognition software to ensure that patients take their medication as prescribed. Biometric technology’s application in healthcare is expected to increase as it gets more inexpensive.
Marking the Attendance
Several Chinese educational institutes utilize face recognition to ensure that students do not miss class. Tablets scan students’ faces and compare them to photos in a database to validate their identities. In a broader sense, the technology may be used to allow employees to check-in and out of their jobs, allowing employers to keep track of employee attendance.
Monitoring Gambling Addictions
Facial recognition technology can help gaming companies better safeguard their customers. Human personnel have difficulty tracking who enters and exits gaming areas, especially in large, packed environments like casinos. Companies may employ face recognition technology to identify those identified as gambling addicts and maintain track of their behavior so that staff can help them stop when the time comes. Casinos may face hefty fines if gamblers on voluntary exclusion lists are caught playing.
Also Read: How Does Facial Recognition Work?
