Mindy Support builds biometric dataset with 1M face images for large US tech firm

Mindy Support, a provider of data annotation and customer service solutions, has compiled a database of face images to train a technology company’s biometric facial recognition system. The company needed an extensive and diverse dataset to reduce biases and enhance performance across a broad range of demographic variables.

The company recruited 100,000 participants, each contributing 100 face photos, to gather 1 million images for a biometric dataset. Mindy Support employed “targeted recruitment strategies” to encourage individuals from various cultures, ethnicities, and demographics to submit their images.

“We operate in over 25 countries and offer a diverse, skilled team, capable of managing projects across different cultures and languages. Our international reach allows us to source a wide variety of participants, ensuring the dataset met the client’s requirements for diversity in gender, age, and ethnicity,” the company explains in a blog post.

The unnamed client company has over 10,000 employees and is described by Mindy Support as “one of the largest and most influential technology companies in the United States.”

The invited participants used a custom-built application to upload their face photos and provide demographic information, such as age, gender, country of origin, and ethnicity to label the biometric dataset. Participants had full control over their data and could manage and review the photos before submission.

The dataset will be used for facial recognition algorithm training.

Mindy Support states that it encountered difficulties in recruiting participants aged 45 and older due to their lack of digital skills needed to submit a large number of photos. Furthermore, the company faced challenges in regions such as India and Asia, where participants have complex variations in skin tone.

To address legal and ethical concerns and ensure compliance with data protection laws in all regions during the collection of face images, Mindy Support says it obtained prior consent from each participant.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  dataset  |  face biometrics  |  face photo  |  facial recognition  |  Mindy Support