What is Facial Recognition?

Facial Recognition is an applied biometric system that identifies and authenticates a person by their facial features.

Do you know that it is already in use in various ways? It is a technology heralding a new era, by unlocking smartphones, managing departures and returns at airports or offices, boarding rides at parks and making “face payments” at stores.

So, what achievements can be realized through Facial Recognition and what are the benefits? We will introduce features, example applications, anticipated directions and more.

The reason Facial Recognition is gathering more attention now

Keys, credit cards, ID cards, passwords, etc. are common and familiar tools for personal identification. But, why has Facial Recognition been getting so much attention now?

Heightened security

Since individual people are based on differing biometric criteria, spoofing becomes difficult and greater security is expected. Worry over loss, misplacement or theft is eliminated. Multi-factor authentication is also possible. Even compared with other biometric ID methods, such as fingerprinting, it doesn’t require physical contact with a device and so is more hygienic.

Ease of use

In our latest system, face registration can take as little as 15 seconds*. Authentication takes less than one second.* Registration is simple, stress-free and requires little waiting time. Your picture can be taken via monitor or camera, so can be done even if your hands are full.

^{*Authentication time depends on server status.}

Easy to understand

Biometrics, known to be very accurate, sometimes determinations might not always be possible with a machine. In these cases, reliance must be placed on the human eye. This may not work when comparing fingerprints or irises, but it is possible with faces, which reduces cases of faulty judgement.

What we can accomplish through Facial Recognition technology

Technology adds safety, security and convenience to the world. Facial Recognition technology is useful in many areas.

Smooth office environment

Operational efficiency is improved through the elimination of card key reissuing due to loss or theft. Fast, smooth entries and exits are possible without digging around for and presenting a card.

Strict, yet smooth departure and return management

No pre-registrations are required. By collating the face image embedded in a passport’s IC chip with the image taken at a Facial Recognition gate, departure and return procedures can be run strictly, yet smoothly.

Empty-handed shopping

Quick purchase of your items without a credit card or wallet through Facial Recognition. Stores also benefit through fewer checkout procedures.

Adding more fun to amusement parks

Further enjoy your park experience by saving yourself from presenting tickets at each attraction.

Managing attendance at preschools and school campuses

Implementing the technology at schools will aid in managing attendance, save time and prevent cheating.

Curb occurrences of spoofing and scalping

How Facial Recognition works

Use of Facial Recognition technology is expected to increase more and more into the future. How are the faces of many people distinguishable in the first place?

Step 1

“Face detection technology” that enables pinpointing a face Multiple facial features are detected at a high speed despite varying backgrounds or objects.

Step 2

“Feature detection technology” that enables pinpointing facial features Eyes, nose, mouth, and contours of the chin and other features are detected.

Step 3

“Face matching technology” that enables the detection of the identified faces Data from the subject’s face are compared with the pre-registered image data to determine if they belong to the same person.

Facial Recognition by Panasonic

Panasonic’s security and Facial Recognition technologies have been developed over many years

Since the first surveillance cameras were sold in 1957, Panasonic has been engaged in the technical development of security systems for more than 60 years. From 1992 development of image sensing technology began and this research is ongoing. In 2011, we started selling a Facial Recognition system that analyzes the surveillance camera images in the recorders. Our iA (intelligent Auto) from Panasonic's digital camera (LUMIX) line was applied to security cameras.

From many years of know-how gained developing home appliances, we have stayed on top of the needs of those at the front lines.

Panasonic's world-class Facial Recognition technology*

Panasonic provides world-class Facial Recognition technology utilizing deep learning. Image captures affected by intense light or darkness, movement and indirect facial orientation, or where facial images may have been obscured by masks, sunglasses or through aging are not as problematic now as they once were. Accuracy has greatly improved.

^{*Based on NIST official evaluation report, IJB-A FACE VERIFICATION CHALLENGE PERFORMANCE REPORT, released April 28, 2017. Subsequently, daily improvements reduced errors to 1/5, as of November 2019.}

Panasonic strives for a better world through Facial Recognition

Not only is the accuracy of the authenticating technology important, but also its ease of implementation and beautiful design. It is also important that the technology be safe and easy to use, without rejections due to hesitations or mistakes, even for people from different cultures.

Following the principles of user-friendliness and seeing through the customer’s point of view during its application, Panasonic aims to make society better with Facial Recognition.

Panasonic’s Facial Recognition technology reaches beyond accuracy

In addition to leading the world in technologies used for authentication and safeguarding personal information, we have achieved great success in developing design applications through our years of experience with home appliances. Panasonic’s Facial Recognition technology—user-friendly and easy to operate for both consumer and business applications—can be adapted and integrated into the ideal system for various locations.

FACIAL RECOGNITION BY PANASONIC