This software is one of the many significations of the advancement in modern science and technology, and since it has become widely available it is now prominent in various industries all across the globe.
Why was facial recognition created?
Whilst there are undoubtedly various scenarios and situations that facial recognition is deployed within nowadays, there is one particular use case that caused the creation of this innovative technology.
In 1993, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and the ARL (Army Research Laboratory) worked together to come up with a program that would help improve their process of identifying individuals of interest more efficiently. In collaboration, they soon established the face recognition technology program with the end goal to develop "automatic face recognition capabilities" that were fit for purpose originally within the realms of security intelligence and law enforcement. This would and has subsequently helped those working within these institutions to identify persons of interest in a much faster way than was previously possible.
Key factors for accurate facial recognition
In order to accurately identify an individual through facial detection and recognition, an algorithm has to be created that enables the camera and software to execute accurate face recognition of a person or group of people.
The articulation of an algorithm to carry out this task is very complex, and there are various key factors that contribute to how facial recognition software can identify an individual just from scanning their face. These include:
- Depth of the eye sockets
- Distance from forehead to chin
- Shape of the cheekbones
- Contour of the lips, ears, and chin
- Distance between your eyes
All of these biological landmarks of the face play a crucial role in distinguishing a persons face. You cannot simply zoom in with the camera and perform iris detection, that is a whole separate form of biometric identification.
Applications of facial recognition
Since this technologies original creation in 1993 for law enforcement, its applications have branched out into into multiple industries. Other applications include:
- Advertising campaigns
- Organizing photo databases
- Time attendance monitoring for both remote & on-premise workplaces
- Online profile verification
Facial recognition software is such a useful addition for various industries and this is likely to carry on growing as time advances.