NEC, Alcatraz AI deliver new facial recognition solutions for more efficient access control

Facial recognition tools are being introduced to ease congestion and manage access control at events and other venues, according to a report from The Japan News and an announcement from Alcatraz AI.

There is a reason “gatekeeper” has become a euphemism for someone who complicates access. Gates and other entrances are frequent friction points, resulting from issues with physical credentials and access control. By introducing a biometric authentication system built on facial recognition, NEC Inc. hopes to enable venues, transit hubs, theme parks and other destinations to make their inflow of users easier, less stressful and more efficient.

NEC’s system will employ cameras mounted strategically around an entrance area to scan entrants’ faces, clothes and other body parts, allowing the system to easily identify anyone who has not registered images of their face in advance.

Meanwhile, Alcatraz AI announced updates to its flagship autonomous facial authentication security system, The Rock. New features include integrations with Microsoft Azure AD, Okta and Ping Identity for Single Sign-On and a Profile Expiration feature that removes from a database any user who has not accessed a space in a given period of time.

When he first saw the Rock in action, Martin Green, the manager of security, telecommunications and emergency preparedness for Baycrest, was stone-cold floored. “I immediately realized the potential for it to be used for dual factor authentication to protect high-security spaces,” he says in a press release. “I met with the leaders in our IT and Pharmacy departments and they agreed that the Rock would be a simple and frictionless way to protect these sensitive areas. Since the installation, feedback from the employees has been nothing but positive. We are very happy with the results and look forward to installing more in the future.”

The Rock’s Profile Expiration feature drops in Q1 of 2023, while Admin Portal SSO Configuration is available now.

Article Topics

access control  |  Alcatraz AI  |  biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  facial authentication  |  NEC