NEC person re-identification tech matches images of people partially hidden from cameras

Feb 11, 2019 | Stephen Mayhew

NEC announced the development of what it calls “Person Re-identification Technology” that is capable of matching images of people whose figures are partially hidden from cameras, even if the image is taken from behind or from the side.

This re-identification solution analyzes the entire appearance of a person’s photo image to determine whether they match with other images of people without relying solely on facial images. NEC’s deep learning technology is used to match a person’s image by automatically selecting other parts of their image when there is overlap between multiple people, such as in crowded or shaded environments where a person’s full image cannot be viewed or is shot with multiple cameras.

NEC notes the matching rate for a person is as high as 90% and that potential applications for this technology include security support in large-scale facilities with many people or visually blocked areas, as well as assistance in the search for lost children.

“NEC has a large portfolio of world-class biometrics certification technologies that include facial and fingerprint recognition,” said Masayuki Mizuno, general manager, Biometrics Research Laboratories, NEC Corporation. “We are now expanding this portfolio within our NEC Safer Cities solutions, our NeoFace facial recognition AI-engine that boasts the world’s No.1 accuracy, and NEC’s advanced video analyzer.”

Researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University are also working on personal re-identification technology. The results of the team’s early testing are described in a paper recently published in the journal Pattern Recognition.

NEC Corporation President and CEO Takashi Niino recently weighed in on the regulation of facial recognition debate and urged greater biometrics industry dialogue and collaboration.