Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:
ID R&D Listens for Voice Clones
ID R&D has launched a “voice clone detection” tool as part of its IDLive Voice liveness detection solution. Essentially, the tool uses AI to determine whether a recording represents someone’s actual voice, or a deepfake mimic of it, with as little as three seconds of audio needed to generate a score indicating the likelihood that the voice is a deepfake. The announcement comes just days after the FTC issued an “exploratory challenge” asking for solutions to the growing problem of voice clones, which can be used in fraud. ID R&D has previously demonstrated its proficiency in detecting deepfakes in the realm of face biometrics.
NJ Firm Accused of Repackaging Blacklisted Facial Recognition Cameras
The FBI has charged the chief executive of New Jersey-based Packetalk with wire fraud and making false statements, alleging that he knowingly sold re-branded facial recognition cameras from Dahua, a blacklisted Chinese company, to state and local agencies. Tamer Zakhary’s firm reportedly raked in at least $35 million from such sales. In emails, he pushed for a bargain, telling Dahua that “something [the] competition has over your company, is they are not blacklisted by US government.” But when confronted by the FBI, Zakhary indicated that he thought he had skirted the blacklist issue by running Packetalk’s software on the cameras instead of Dahua’s.
Rugged Barcode Scanner Features Face-based Authentication
A new “ultra-rugged” handheld device from Zebra Technologies features a facial recognition system for user authentication. The MC9400 Series device is meant for applications in retail, warehousing, logistics, and the like, with a far-range barcode scanning capability; and it supports 5G and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. Zebra says that users’ unique biometric profiles are “stored in an encrypted QR code,” allowing the device to be shared among staff. Zebra SVP Julie Johnson emphasized the MC9400’s advances in “wireless connectivity, scanning and secure authentication to drive enhanced operational benefits for our customers.”
CES 2024 Gets Underway…
New smart locks debuted at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show are aimed at bringing biometrics to the consumer’s home. Lockly is getting attention with its new Lockly Visage smart lock, which is based primarily on facial recognition but also sports a fingerprint scanner. Lockly also announced what it calls the first Z-Wave-certified fingerprint-scanning lock, compatible with Alarm.com-powered security systems. Philips, meanwhile, has debuted a smart deadbolt that relies on palm recognition.
Also at CES, Sennheiser has unveiled a new lineup of audio devices including earbuds with biometric capabilities. The Momentum Sport earbuds feature a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that can measure the wearer’s heart rate, as well as a body temperature sensor. The earbuds can leverage these sensor to track real-time biometric data, and can share it with fitness apps like Apple Health, Garmin Connect, and Strava.
LG is of course in attendance, and among its range of solutions being showcased is LG Magnit, a micro-LED display, outfitted with facial recognition and media advertizing capabilities. Essentially, the system is meant to deliver tailored ad media to viewers based on their face biometrics, a capability that would put LG in competition with VSBLTY, a pioneer in this area. LG is also positioning this solution as a potential payment system, allowing consumers to make purchases with a face scan.
Gentex has returned to CES to once again showcase its driver monitoring technology, and this time it has integrated the tech into a Full Display Mirror, a digital rearview mirror. The company’s Driver Monitoring System is designed to track things like gaze and head pose in order to detect signs of drowsiness, distraction, and sickness. The company notes that European Union regulations will soon require cars to be equipped with a DMS, and says it has ongoing development programs with multiple car makers.
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January 9, 2024 – by Alex Perala
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