Forget face recognition, AI-powered systems will be able to detect gaze

The myriad world of artificial intelligence-backed biometrics is witnessing rapid transformation where face-recognition technology is going a few steps ahead, harnessing the potential of gaze detection.

The interesting aspect of this transformation is that the algorithms and AI built into systems make it simpler to detect anomalies when it comes to urban security, but also serve as innovative tools for marketing companies, both online and off line.

Significantly, it will also help provide heightened security in bustling public places — metros, railway stations, airports, sports stadia and busy city hubs. It could be useful in detection of suspects checking surveillance cameras or turning devices on/off with gaze unlock.

Talking about the interesting transitions powered by biometrics and algorithms and a new technology platform, Takeshi Moribe, Associate Consultant, Transportation and City Infrastructure, NEC Corporation, a Japanese IT firm, said: “These solutions — developed with over years of research inputs — are aimed at making our future secure while simplifying security check processes in airports, other public places, and for innovative use in smart stores, where payments are also made through face recognition.”

Katsumi Emura, Chief Technology Officer, NEC, told BusinessLine : “While NEC covers submarine cables (sea floor) to outer space, our high-level concept of next-generation society (Society 5.0) integrates a number of technologies for behavioural analysis and inter-agency collaboration put together to improve security and simplify life processes.”.

Researchers at the $25-billion Japanese company are working to make the safty and security of cities around the world a reality by using AI, which includes biometric authentication as well as video analysis and IoT (Internet of Things). AI has its foundations in data, and data relates to individuals.

“Our NeoFace Watch technology overcomes challenges such as crowd environments, poor lighting, moving objects and multiple variables — as small, yet significant as spectacles, hats and scarves,” Emura said.

The technology obtains images from video streams, still image storage and third-party integrated systems. At the command control centre, it later assesses individual faces, detects them and analyses each face and creates small templates and maintains history and then provides real-time alerts or messages. This could be used both as a preventive tool or for post-event analysis.

Its deployments are quite varied — in police and national security, transportation, hospitality, retail, gaming and mega events. It could possibly be an interesting tool to analyse how a person shops or even to gauge his/her interest by eye movements. Significantly, the online world could also use this in future to analyse potential customers’ interest.

While NEC provides NeoFace Watch for a number of airports, including 14 international airports in Brazil, the gaze-detection technology is seen to play a major role in better understanding human interest, moods and behaviour for various application in future, he explained.

Since a person is not staring at the camera to analyse, even a glimpse is enough to understand. This has been made possible with innovation and algorithms, Emura said.

The firm’s biometrics division is also engaged with Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for ID cards, using multiple technologies for face, fingerprint and iris recognition. It is by far the biggest such project in the world.

The writer was in Tokyo at the invitation from NEC Corporation.