In recent trials of CCTV facial recognition at a major airport an 85% success rate was achieved. Logica, the company behind the trials, found that faces could be successfully identified in a crowd from a distance of several meters 85% of the time, even when volunteers disguised themselves.During the trial, volunteers’ photographs were put on a database’s suspect list, along with thousands of other photographs. The volunteers mixed with passengers at the airport and a biometric identification algorithm was used to analyse the faces in the crowds for a match.
According to Logica, the technology could be used for airport and border control security. It also has a number of other possible applications - facial recognition technology is already used by casinos in Las Vegas to spot cheats.
Meanwhile, the BKA (German equivalent of the FBI) recently spent €200K on trials of L-1 Identity facial recognition CCTV technology at Mainz railway station. The system returned just a 30% success rate under normal lighting conditions and, according to Der Spiegel, was declared useless as an investigative tool.
The myths and realities of CCTV, and how to specify CCTV systems, will be one of the subjects addressed in the new Specifying Security Technology Course, due for launch in 2008. Contact David for details.
