Startup uses facial recognition software to improve event check-ins

Houston startup Zenus is using cloud-based facial recognition software to automate steps in the event check-in process.

According to a report in Xconomy, the solution works by having pre-registered event attendees upload a photo and then, when on-site at the conference, a camera scans that person’s face to verify identity and completes the check-in process digitally.

The company’s core business model is software-as-a-service, where customers pay fees to license and use the company’s digital tools.

According to Panos Moutafis, co-founder and CEO of Zenus, traditional check-in processes using QR codes or printed tickets can take more than a minute per person, while the Zenus solution shortens it to about 20 seconds. He recommends event coordinators use one scanning device per 100 attendees to keep lines from getting too long.

The company has also developed a premium version of its software which conducts check-ins in real time, authenticating attendees as they walk past the camera.

Moutafis says that facial recognition technology is a more secure alternative to current practices. “We don’t transfer any e-mails or names, just the images. There is no personal information transferred from the platform, just the ‘face geometry’ that distinguishes individuals.”

Moutafis adds that a third-party can’t reconstruct the original image because the process of taking an image and turning it into this face geometry “… can’t be reversed.”

Earlier this year, Oracle revealed the findings of two research initiatives which showed that biometrics will play a significant role in the hospitality industry.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  hospitality  |  identity verification  |  Zenus