Google adds enhanced facial analysis capabilities to developer platform

Developing Android apps with facial detection may soon be easier, as Google is launching a new feature called Face Contours among a bunch of new features for its Firebase developer platform, 9to5Google reports.

The new feature is part of the ML (machine learning) Kit Google announced at this year’s I/O event, and was announced at the annual Firebase Summit in Prague. Face Contours will identify more than 100 facial landmarks, and will enter beta soon. In addition to detecting user’s faces, the improved capability could be used in AR applications.

The additions to Firebase also include premium support, a new management API for managing projects programmatically, while Test Lab for iOS and Firebase Predictions will move from beta testing to general availability.

Google acquired Firebase in 2014, and it has become the company’s hub for serverless app development, according to 9to5Google.

Android P imposes a 7 percent combined spoof and imposter accept rate for its BiometricPrompt API as standards for smartphone biometrics impove.

This story was edited at 4:05 EST on November 5 to clarify the capabilities of Face Contours.

Article Topics

Android  |  augmented reality  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  Google  |  machine learning