Cutting-Edge Research Around the World – Identity News Digest

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

Swedish Scientists Develop LED Tech Combining Biometric Capabilities

Scientists at Linköping University (LiU) in Sweden have developed LED digital display technology using halide perovskite, which integrates touch, fingerprint recognition, and pulse detection capabilities directly into the screen. Still in the prototype stage, the technology could significantly alter the interaction between users and personal electronic devices by eliminating the need for separate sensors for different functions. The new displays are capable of performing the tasks of conventional sensors and can also charge the device they are integrated into by harvesting light, similar to photovoltaic cells. Although currently limited by the instability of the perovskite material, which degrades after a few hours of use, the researchers are optimistic about resolving these issues within a decade to make this technology viable for mainstream use.

Chinese Researchers Detail Refined Computer Vision Method

A team of Chinese researchers has published a new paper proposing significant improvements to Dense Convolutional Network (DenseNet) architecture to enhance image recognition accuracy and efficiency. The researchers focus on two main improvements: refining the model’s internal structure to use fewer parameters while maintaining effectiveness, and optimizing how the model updates its parameters across multiple computing nodes in parallel training environments. They say their approach not only makes the DenseNet model more efficient but also improves its image recognition performance, outperforming other state-of-the-art models.

Sberbank Announces AI Research Paper Competition

Sberbank, a major Russian bank, has announced a competition inviting researchers to submit papers on AI and machine learning for a chance to win a $10,000 prize. The winning paper will be published in a special issue of Doklady Mathematics, a journal of the Russian Academy of Sciences, during the AI Journey 2024 conference. The conference is an annual event that gathers international experts and researchers in AI and ML. Papers submitted by August 20 will undergo a peer review by top Russian experts in AI and ML.

Kuwait Pushes to Register Citizens’ Biometrics

Authorities in Kuwait are racing to get citizens registered in the country’s national biometric system. The Ministry of Interior is diligently working to finalize the biometric fingerprinting of both citizens and residents within a set three-month deadline that ends in May. Currently, about 2 million individuals have been fingerprinted, leaving approximately 400,000 still pending. The Ministry has extended the working hours of existing centers, eliminating the need for additional facilities.

Precise Details ‘Challenging’ Fiscal 2023

Precise Biometrics has issued its Annual Report for the 2023 fiscal year, with CEO Joakim Nydemark acknowledging that the year was “challenging for us in several ways”. Revenues were down 17.5 percent year-over-year, and EBITDA came in at a loss of SEK 1.7 million as turbulence continued to roil the mobile market in which Precise has made its name as a provider of fingerprint sensor software. But the company has adopted strategic maneuvers including a new focus on the access control market and a cost-cutting program. Nydemark notes that Precise managed to achieve a positive operating profit before depreciation in the fourth quarter, and that its YOUNiQ visitor management solution had its best quarter yet in terms of sales.

Steak n Shake Brings Biometric Checkout Nationwide

Steak n Shake has become the first national restaurant chain in the United States to implement PopID’s biometric check-in and checkout system across all its locations. Integrated into existing ACRELEC kiosks, the PopID system offers a faster and more personalized customer experience by allowing guests to quickly access favorite orders and loyalty points through facial recognition. With the system now active in over 300 Steak n Shake restaurants, the company plans to extend biometric technology to its drive-through units, promising further efficiency improvements in service and payment processing. ACRELEC President Bruno Lo-Re emphasized that the biometric kiosk tech “provides various benefits to restaurant operators related to throughput, ticket size, and loyalty engagement.”

Worldcoin Boosts Data Privacy Protections

Worldcoin has introduced new features to enhance data protection on its World ID digital identity platform, amid growing regulatory concerns about its use of iris biometrics. Users now have the option to unverify their accounts, which involves the permanent deletion of their iris code and a subsequent 6-month cooldown period before they can re-verify. The update aims to give users greater control over their personal data and to prevent abuse of the verification system. Worldcoin has also implemented age verification checks at all verification locations to ensure that only individuals aged 18 and over can create an account, addressing concerns about underage users. Read the full story on Mobile ID World.

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April 15, 2024 – by Alex Perala and the FindBiometrics Editorial Team