What is Facial Recognition ?

Facial recognition can be defined as a biometric software application capable of uniquely identifying or verifying a person by comparing and analysing patterns based on the person's facial contours.

In the past, facial recognition system was relied on a 2D image to identify another 2D image from the database. It required people to look almost directly at the camera and the image in the database needed to have little light or facial expression for effective and accurate. It could not match any faces in the database even a small change in light or angle of the image captured.

Fortunately, with advances in technology, these problems have been solved. A 3D model is used in the system. The characteristic features of the face are used to identify a person.

Distance between the eyes
Width of the nose
Depth of the eye socket
The shape of the cheekbone

These areas do not change over time and they are unique for everyone.

Using the depth and an axis of measurement that is not affected by lighting, 3D facial recognition can even be used in darkness and has the ability to recognize a subject at different view angles with the potential to recognize up to 90 degrees (a face in profile).