Face recognition technology uses an image captured by a digital camera or live data feeds to analyze the unique facial characteristics of an individual and compares that facial image with those contained in a database.
As recently as 1993, facial recognition was thought of as a technology that would probably never work, and if it did, it would have limited use in the real world. The Department of Defense (DOD) Counterdrug Technology Development Programs Office's Face Recognition Technology Program (FERET) changed that opinion through numerous development efforts, data collection and evaluations. They established Facial Recognition Vendor Test, which are completed each year to determine what vendors are compliant with software standards.
Evaluating facial recognition systems is very application-specific. Results from an analysis for a specific application are usually not correct for other applications. Evaluating the technology properly is a difficult task for those that have worked in the field for several years, and is even more difficult for those new to the field. .
Uses of Facial Recognition.
In the past, biometrics such as facial recognition was used primarily to control physical access to high-security facilities, and to identify crime suspects. During this time, there were three main hurdles that slowed down the spread of the use of biometrics authentication systems: cost, reliability, and accuracy. Today, advancements in biometrics technologies have greatly improved the performance of these systems, and along with significant drops in price, this has led to both the public and private sectors to make much higher use of biometrics systems. In 1998 the biometrics market was estimated to be worth roughly $250 million. No longer are biometrics authentication systems just being used by law enforcement agencies, the technology has branched into the automobile industry and the financial services sector, and the range of applications in which biometrics is used continues to grow.
