Suprema’s approach to facial recognition boosts access control security

Facial recognition is increasingly used for both logical and physical access control, but the variety found on most Android smartphones with basic color 2D cameras is vulnerable to biometric spoofing and other risks, Android Authority notes.

The publication contrasts the typical smartphone approach to biometric imaging with that of Suprema, which uses a combination of color and near-infrared black and white images to generate a matching score on devices like its FaceStation F2. This confers the combined advantage of providing biometric liveness detection and effective functioning in diverse lighting conditions, according to the report.

The combination of imaging types also enables Suprema’s facial recognition-based access control to work with masks, though the publication notes there is an accuracy trade-off.

Suprema’s NIR technology is currently only implemented on its FaceStation 2 and FaceStation F2 biometric access control terminals, and when asked about bringing it to smaller devices, the company notes challenges related to power-consumption. If the facial recognition processing could be moved from the graphics processors it currently runs on to neural processors, Android Authority suggests, it could be powered by current mid-tier and premium smartphones.

The FaceStation 2 won a ‘Best Product Award’ for access control when it was released in 2017, and the recently launched FaceStation F2 set a company record for the strongest launch by sales volumes, buoyed by rising demand for contactless biometrics.

Article Topics

access control  |  access management  |  biometric liveness detection  |  biometrics  |  contactless biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  near-infrared  |  research and development  |  spoof detection  |  Suprema