Face recognition analyzes the development of visible characteristics within the frontal head, given by geometrical arrangement and texture characteristics of the surface.

It is to differentiate between the localization of a face with respect to the picture (English face detection) and the allocation of the face to a certain person (English face recognition). In the first case is examined, whether and where a face is to be seen and in the second case determined, who to be seen is.

The ability for the recognition and distinction of faces is acquired by the human brain within the first life months. It is bound at functions of the grosshirns, more exactly the Occipitallappen. The diseased disturbance of this ability is called Prosopagnosie.

In technical connection face recognition ranks among the biometric procedures. It is used safety-relevant, kriminalistisch and forensisch, for the purpose of the identification or verification (Authentifizierung) of natural persons. Typically the technical, computer-assisted face recognition serves for the admission control for sensitive ranges and for the search for doublets in data bases, for example in Melderegistern for the avoidance of identity theft.

Considerably for the collection and digital representation of face pictures for interoperable purposes, in particular for use in electronic passports and Kriminalistik, the international standard is ISO/CInternational Electronical Commission 19794-5. Its detailed specifications regarding picture content and recording technology aim at a high recognition quality.

Simple face recognition procedures use a geometrical measurement of special characteristics (e.g. eyes, nose, mouth). Here their position, distance and situation are determined to each other. Today's procedures set however usually on complex computations like the Waveletanalyse (e.g. by means of Gabor transformation) or main component analysis. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has 2000 for the year repeats comparative investigations of commercially available procedures accomplished.

Apart from the two-dimensional biometric face recognition, which uses commercial cameras for the collection, develops at present a new branch, which sets on the three-dimensional collection (e.g. by means of strip projection) of the face. Are to be obtained by the additional information higher discrimination, better float independence and overcoming security. In the Face Recognition Grand Challenge is compared with one another at present available procedures. In Germany the institute for Fraunhofer for graphic data processing accomplishes a similar study on behalf the Federal Office for security in the information technology.

See also: Mimikerkennung, emotion recognition

Related links

• Federal Office for security in the information technology
• Face Recognition Vendor test and Grand Challenge
• Markus Hofmann FH Regensburg
• Comparison and implementation of different procedures
• Project Bioface the Fraunhofer society - investigation of face recognition systems

Articles in category "Face recognition"

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