Non-Subscriber ExtractOmniperception teams with BAE Systems on facial recognition technology |
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By Ben Vogel
09 September 2009
Omniperception of the UK has joined forces with BAE Systems on a research-and-development project that aims to develop next-generation facial recognition technology.
Meanwhile, an undisclosed company operating at London Heathrow has become the first aviation customer to use the Affinity CheckPoint facial recognition system from Omniperception for staff access control.
"Heathrow is the first airport to use CheckPoint," confirmed Omniperception Chief Executive Officer Dr Stewart Heffernan. "The customer will also roll it out at its other airports in the UK and abroad.
"The one thing the customer appreciated above all about CheckPoint is that ambient lighting conditions do not affect its performance."
At initial enrolment two separate images of the subject are taken - one in normal light and the second in infrared. The system then applies an algorithm to create a neutral image that is unaffected by ambient conditions; this is then stored in a database.
The Omniperception/BAE Systems contract is effectively an 18-month programme starting from early 2009.
"The contract is exclusively for the research and development of facial recognition systems," Heffernan told Jane's. "We're working towards delivering an actual product at the end of it."