The Growing Potential of Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition technology is not the newest development in the tech world, as it has been around since the 60s in varying formats. This technology has several beneficial uses, from confirming ID for official purposes to unlocking a smartphone. Facial recognition technology will only improve as the tech world continues its rapid development.

How Does It Work?

The idea behind facial recognition is quite simple; biometrics are used to map your facial features and take measurements to allow your face to be analyzed. Let’s have a closer look at each stage of this process.

Face Detection

Firstly, a face needs to be detected. This can be done through a photo or video or can be captured from a live view of a surveillance camera, for example. It doesn’t have to be the clearest picture or be taken face-on as the technology can also work with a partial profile view.

Face Analysis

Now we have the face, the analysis can begin. Biometrics track the face, taking note of the measurements between each key feature of the face. For example, it measures the distance between the eyes, the width of the nose and mouth, and the distance between the hairline and chin.

Converting the Image to Data

When all these measurements are combined, the result is a facial signature, like a fingerprint, converted into a mathematical formula. This formula is unique to each individual and enables faces of all different races and structures to be easily compared.

Finding a Match

The last step involves running the mathematical formula through a database of known faces. The software compares the formula to those from other faces to assess the likelihood of a facial match.

What Are the Benefits?

Whilst this level of technology can seem a little intimidating, there are many benefits to using facial recognition technology. From a law enforcement perspective, facial recognition makes it easier to locate missing persons and identify criminal suspects. Airlines can also use facial recognition to make the checking-in and boarding process smoother by comparing your face to your official passport photo. Secure buildings are another area that can benefit from facial recognition, as access keycards can easily be lost or cloned. In contrast, it’s very tricky to replicate a face!

How Do Businesses Use It?

A few key areas where businesses use facial recognition technology have already been touched on. The use in law enforcement and airports is fairly well established, but other areas have just begun to be explored. Retailers have just started to use facial recognition software to help identify potential shoplifters, and it could be used to create loyalty schemes or personalized shopping experiences. So far, businesses have only scratched the surface of what facial technology offers. Still, it is just a matter of time until it’s a regular part of life.

Examples of Facial Recognition

Business use of facial recognition might be a newer area of development, but there are instances of facial recognition that almost anyone with a smartphone will use daily. If you upload photos to Facebook and want to tag your friends, Facebook uses facial recognition to suggest which friends they might be. Snapchat also uses facial recognition, but in a different way. When you apply a filter to your videos, facial recognition tracks your features to ensure the filter matches and moves in sync with your eyes and lips. Apple also uses facial recognition technology as a key part of its security features on its latest iPhones too. Users mainly use it to unlock their phones, however, it’s also used to enter their favorite online accounts. This is perfect for those who keep on forgetting their own passwords. Now, they can effortlessly sign in to any online account they wish to without remembering any of their passwords. Whether it’s to sign in to play the Platincasino new online slots or log on to Netflix to watch the latest series and movies, facial recognition is here to save the day!

Regardless of whether you are excited about all that facial recognition technology has to offer or are skeptical of the benefits, the technology is advancing rapidly. Let’s embrace facial recognition technology’s benefits; soon, it will be a normal part of life!