New software holds potential for mobile phone biometrics
26 October, 2010
category: Biometrics
New technology developed by scientists at the University of Manchester in the UK and funded through the European Union’s Mobile Biometrics project holds promise for accurate and fast facial recognition on mobile phones, according to a Wired article.
The new software being developed would allow for mobile phones with front-facing cameras to utilize facial recognition in lieu of traditional PINs, passwords or patterns for unlocking access to the phone or other protected applications and data contained on it.
Lead researcher on the project, Phil Tresadern, claims that utilizing the real-time video capture of 22 points on an individual’s face via the phone’s camera allows for a highly accurate and fast authentication mode.
Additionally, Tresadern claims that the technology his team is developing, which he maintains holds many other potential purposes beyond security, is the first of its level to be designed for mobile use. The University of Manchester research team has developed the first working version of the software for the Nokia N900 phone, but has also developed a prototype for the iPhone 4.
Read the full story here.