Facial Biometrics: from Hype to Practical Cases

The history of biometrics began 3 thousand years ago. Artifacts found in Nova Scotia, Babylon, and China prove that hand and finger prints were used in ancient times for business transactions and evidence of crime. And in the XIX century, there was already actual evidence of its use for identifying criminals, confirming contracts, etc. In the last 3-4 years, we have seen a large number of events, news and articles related to biometrics, and sometimes they are more than the biometric projects themselves.
Working in the biometrics market for a long time, we are faced with the fact that each scenario, when actually implemented, implies overcoming the barriers associated with end users. Moreover, these problems usually concern not so much the algorithms themselves as the perception of biometrics by consumers. Let's look at live scenarios for implementing biometric solutions for different tasks and projects.
Upsale for clients
The most relevant topic of biometrics application is Upsale, when a person is offered additional services depending on how the system identified them. Such biometrics is primarily aimed at the customer and providing them with certain new features. For example, it allows you to make discounts without a loyalty card and automatically earn points for background identification, since the company that provides services already knows who came to it and what discounts this person has. Points and bonuses are awarded automatically when you pay for purchases at the checkout and order in the call center.
What should be considered when implementing biometric technologies in the consumer sector?
- Creating a client base
Creating such a database involves collecting biometric data and adding it to customer profiles. Under this condition, a loyalty card and key contact information (full name, phone number, email address, etc.) are linked to the created profile.to simplify the procedure and convince the client to participate in the formation of such a database, you can offer various bonuses and privileges (for example, points for authorization). At the same time, creating a biometric profile can be performed in the background when purchasing products at the checkout. - Using different software for POS terminals and cash registers at points of sale. To install the biometric module, a separate integration is required for each software used at the point of sale.
- Determining the location of cameras.
Several options are used, including the location of the camera by “mounting” in walls, furniture, etc. With this approach, there is a high risk of the merchant blocking visitors from the point of sale.
Another option is to install a camera on the cash register. As a rule, a small web camera does not create a negative background for the buyer, and the seller understands that it is intended for solving marketing problems. When using biometrics for Upsale, it is important to comply with the requirements of international legislation:
- Wherever facial biometrics is used, a sign with a notification of video surveillance must be installed.
- Before signing the contract for processing personal data, the buyer's face does not participate in the stream identification, but may be saved. After the buyer confirms their readiness to cooperate on paper, the process of recording and recording their actions inside the retail premises begins.
Information boards and placards
Marketing uses a wide range of information boards, posters, and infotables, which usually broadcast General advertising information. Biometrics allows you to make it more targeted. To do this, it is enough to embed a small camera and a module for recognizing people in the focus area in the ad structure . If several people approach the camera at the same time, a special function of the identification program selects the main face in the frame (for a number of parameters — not only by its proximity to the screen, but also by the duration of the view held on the shield). It is important to ensure a smooth transition from one ad message to another, so that the content change is not abrupt and incoherent for the audience. Thus, this technology allows you to develop personalized advertising campaigns with measurable results in online and offline channels.
Video surveillance Systems
The next direction for implementing biometrics is video surveillance systems. It is important to understand that video surveillance is primarily the responsibility of security services and not all companies are willing to spend a large amount of resources, money and effort on these issues. In addition implementation is complicated by the following factors:
- Outdated infrastructure at the moment, almost all companies have already installed one or another video surveillance system, but the equipment partially or completely does not meet modern requirements, there is no Ethernet infrastructure, etc.
- Distributed automation objects when implementing biometrics in enterprise networks, they usually have their own local networks. However, the processed information and the database of persons, as a rule, must be transmitted and stored in the Central office in online mode. Such cases require a project approach that takes into account each object equipped with a biometric module.
- Lack of understanding of the possibilities of using biometrics for the customer. Often the business owner simply does not know how to correctly use the technologies offered to him. “In our practice, we have repeatedly received comments in the spirit of: ‘We will take two more guards and let them control the situation.’ Such cases always occur, but due to continuous communication with business structures, studying their needs, as well as an important information wave and ‘HYIP’ attitude to biometrics is gradually changing. Although it will not be long before people will perceive it in full.”
Accounting of working hours for company management
Different companies have their own attitude to the work schedule: some require you to arrive strictly at 09:00, some do not criticize it, and some need to work 40 hours a week. All employers want to understand when their employees are in the office and performing their duties. The biometrics system provides a new technological approach to working time accounting and makes it much easier. Biometrics provides a new technological approach that makes it much easier to keep track of working hours staff Control is performed using a biometric terminal without cards, keys and documents. Information about arrivals, departures and violations is received in real time, and reporting is organized on a regular basis and without additional time costs. Identification of people can be explicit (when the employee entered/left) or background (the employee is captured by the camera, identifies and puts a mark). In addition, you can organize a barrier-free passage when the system does not require any additional actions from the staff. Since this biometric scenario is aimed at tightening the requirements for the employee, there are corresponding problems:
- Unwillingness of people to pass identification (there are situations when people wear masks, use other people's photos, etc.);
domestic attempts to hack the system; - Attempts to “accidentally” break the device (especially in companies with strict work schedules).
- You can only deal with such problems using organizational measures — there are no other ways to deal with them, and you need to explain these points to your clients in addition.
Authorization in OS and Web applications for employees and is
Each company that wants to implement biometrics as part of internal process management has specific security requirements. There is no universal “box” solution, so it is almost always a custom development with customization for the needs of the customer. At the same time, a number of components can be pre-prepared (services, applications, etc.). using biometrics, you can organize:
- Authorization in a Windows PC — unlocking the PC screen using an individual account;
- Access to mobile apps — integration of the recognition system into ready-made mobile apps for activating access to your personal account, performing operations, etc.;
- Access to online portals and specialized Web sites.
Key difficulties that arise in these moments:
- The reluctance of the security service to let in their perimeter. There are no exceptions, and this leads to lengthy approval procedures, discussions, and the development of a satisfactory solution for the is Department.
- Protection against compromise. The system must not only identify the person, but also check it for Lifeness, although from the point of view of algorithms, this task is solved quite simply.
With the help of biometrics, authorization can be organized in the PC, access to mobile applications and specialized sites. What solutions are most in demand? Our experience shows that face recognition systems are in the highest demand in retail: the customer does not want to burden the consumer with additional services. When there are more stringent security requirements on the perimeter, combined solutions are often used (face + fingerprint, face + vein pattern on the palm, background identification).