Facial Recognition Can Still Identify Those Wearing Masks

The company suggested its breakthrough could help spot sick people.

 

For some time, citizens hoping to trick facial recognition technology have worn masks to cover the bottom halves of their faces.

As COVID-19 has ripped through China, masks are becoming commonplace as people return to work amid ongoing virus fears. One company says it has developed facial recognition technology that can identify a person even if they’re wearing a mask.

China-based Hanvon says its breakthrough is more about public health than surveillance. By connecting to a temperature sensor, the system can identify a person’s body temperature, a feature the Ministry of Public Security may utilize to identify sick people.

After rounds of testing, the system can now identify 95% of masked subjects, compared to 99% of subjects without.

Despite this development, it still struggles to identify those donning both a mask and sunglasses.

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