How The Face Recognition-System Works

How The Face Recognition-System Works

 

The first semi-automatic face recognition system was developed by Woodrow W. Bledsoe under contract to the US Government. This system required the administrator to locate features such as eyes, ears, nose and mouth on the photographs.

 

World’s first face recognition technology for mobile devices with camera has been presented at the “Security show Japan” in 2005. The technology named “OKAO Vision Face Recognition Sensor” was created by OMRON Corporation. More than a decade this type of biometric recognition system was used on mobile devices but it never has been so popular since 2017, November 3rd – the date when iPhone X was released.

 

Revolution in Mobile Phones Facial Recognition-

 

Why iPhone X face recognition technology is so different from others? First of all, the new model’s iPhone True Depth camera system consists of multiple innovative technologies:

 

·         Infrared camera – reads the dot pattern, captures an infrared image, then sends the data to the Secure Enclave in the A11 Bionic chip to confirm a match;

 

·         Dot projector – More than 30,000 invisible dots are projected onto your face to build your unique facial map;

 

·         Flood illuminator – Invisible infrared light helps identify your face even when it’s dark.

 

These technologies raises iPhone X to the next level. Many tests were made comparing iPhone X and Android mobile phones. As a result Face ID technology is the most secure and reliable in the market at the moment. Face ID is tolerant for appearance changes like facial hair or cosmetic make ups, scarves, hats, glasses, contact lenses and many sunglasses and it works even in total darkness. Moreover, Face ID meets international safety standards, so it is possible to authorize purchases from the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, and payments with Apple Pay.

 

From Fingerprint to Facial Recognition –

 

IPhone 5s – the first model with Touch ID (fingerprint recognition) launched in 2013. Two years later Apple introduced a faster second generation Touch ID which was implemented in iPhone 6s, then iPhone SE, iPhone 7, 7s and iPhone 8, 8s. Apple claims that possibility the random person could unlock your iPhone X using Face ID is approximately 1 in 1,000,000 when with Touch ID is 1 in 50,000. That’s why Touch ID was removed on iPhone X.

 

 

Fingerprint & Facial Recognition on Android & IOS –

 

Mobile phones like Huawei, Honor 7x, One Plus 5T, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, Mi Note 5/Pro etc., also have fingerprint recognition besides facial recognition. It lets to choose more acceptable biometric authentication. But Android’s face recognition is less safe than Face ID. It doesn’t work in poor lighting conditions and it is possible to unlock a phone with a picture. So, it’s more a convenience feature than a security. Less security means that requirements aren’t so stringent and that makes some android phones face recognition much faster.

 

 One Plus 5T’s Face Unlock works incredibly fast, it’s even faster than iPhone X’s Face ID. But iPhone X for now has the most secure and reliable face recognition technology.

 

iPhone X is tolerant for appearance changes and works in total darkness. Despite of the fact, that Android phones have less secure face recognition technology, the advantage is – choice from couple biometric recognition technologies.

 

 

How does it work?

 

 

IPhone X:

 

While talking about latest iPhone, the company has designed the face detection function with a range of advanced sensors which include dot projector, infrared camera flood illuminator etc. The first component holds the capability to scrutinize the user’s face using TrueDepth camera. The camera captures in-depth face via more than 30,000 invisible dots in order to get the accurate and distinctive 3D facial map. This way, any kind of movement of your face will not stop the device to detect it before unlocking. When the dot pattern completes, the Infrared camera takes an infrared photo of the face. Once this gets done, an A11 Bionic chip’s neural engine helps in transforming the detailing and infrared face for meticulous precisions and confirming the enrolled face by comparing all the corrections. The A11 chip comes with full protection and is protected with secure Enclave.

 

The flood illuminator aims at infrared flash for enabling the face recognition technology to detect the face no matter what the surrounding light is. Putting differently, your face can be recognized even in dim light since your face is been recorded through infrared light.

 

Samsung:                             

 

Samsung also uses almost identical operation and involves two components which are IR LED and Iris camera. The former can be said as similar to the flood illuminator of the newest iPhone. IR LED works same as flood illuminator. It however shows difference only by focusing the infrared light on the eyes unlike flood illuminator which focus on the entire face. The Iris camera is nothing but infrared camera whose job is to take the picture of your iris. The process begins with IR LED which assists Iris camera by illuminating the eyes so that the camera gets the opportunity to capture the iris pattern properly. Samsung has the option to choose between both iris scanning or just one.

 

 

Which one is more Accurate?

 

Being accurate is a considerable issue with face recognition technology if you are using a Samsung device. On the other hand, iPhone X shows accuracy than Samsung since it analyzes the whole face instead of iris. For Samsung’s iris scanner, the camera contains a confined and narrowly designed focus where is exactly your iris needed to be for scanning. The camera will able to recognize only when your iris will be in that same place for long where it focuses. And therefore, there are times when you left with holding your device high for better iris detection. Apple has no such accuracy issue for it takes your face to recognize.

 

The Common Inconvenience –

 

When it comes to practicality, we would state that both the phone don’t stand well for it. This is because if you use iPhone X, you are required to first hold your device in your hand followed by looking at the screen. Then you need to swipe it up for unlocking the device.

 

On the other hand, when you are Samsung owner, you need to open your eyes accurately and stare the screen and the distance between the device and eyes ideally should be an arm length.

 

Both the devices need to be lifted to keep the face’s angle point accurately and it can look awkward when you need to use your device in a crowded place. Hence, both ways are kind of inconvenient to use especially when you wish to use your device secretly.

 

 

Safety Issue –

 

Ensuring safety is one of the main concern people have and the face recognition technology in both the devices has done pretty well. Apple uses the True Depth camera system which includes flood illuminator, IR camera as well as dot projector to make the face recognized in all possible ways. It has been claimed by the company that the possibility of unlocking the device by a random person’s face is 1 in 1,000,000. Besides this, Apple had made sure to let people try only 5 face attempts after which they will require to enter the passcode. The probability though doesn’t work same for twins and the family members who resemble you. Also, the children who are less than 13 are able to trick you since they don’t have fully developed facial features.

 

Besides this, Apple has also made the newest model intelligent enough to not get fooled by any 2D photo or any other 2D mediums. Before releasing high-quality face recognition technology, Apple tested how the feature reacts with life-like masks and other techniques that can give rise to deceiving. To its surprise, the device got positive results and the Face ID has the ability to not get trapped by masks and the like things.

 

The Face ID by Apple in its iPhone X also makes itself proficient enough to detect the modifications in the appearances such as growing of beard or if a lady has applied makeup or if you have shaved your beard fully, the device takes a confirmation with the help of a passcode. What’s more, you don’t have to worry if you are wearing scarf or shades, cap, hat and even contact lenses, Face ID will work properly with the accessories too.

 

On the other hand, Samsung also doesn’t lag behind when it comes to safety and security with face recognition feature. Samsung is the first Android device company to introduce face recognition technology that brought iris scanning technology with its Galaxy Note 7. The technology does it job by detecting the iris’ pattern of your eyes. As far as security is concerned, the technology gets 10 on 10 since each person possesses unique iris pattern and it becomes difficult to replicate. The devices by Samsung having face recognition technology are designed with infrared diode which is capable.

 

All in all, both the companies have put extra effort in justifying the safety with trending face recognition technology. However, we are not certain for full reliability of them.

 

Conclusion –

 

The technology of facial recognition isn’t new to us and it has made people excited from the time it has come. However, many users have not started using the technology yet. We hope that this functionality will gain the popularity with time and people will start to make use of it.