Israeli Firm Gets $5M to Continue Development of Facial Recognition System for Covered Faces

Israeli facial recognition company Corsight AI announced that it has received $5 million in funding from Canadian intelligence and security technologies-focused fund Awz Ventures.

Corsight has stated that it will be using the money to continue the development of its proprietary facial recognition platform that is able to recognize faces that are concealed behind masks, goggles, plastic shields, or other coverings.

According to Corsight, during the COVID-19 pandemic its tech can be used to recognize individuals who are in violation of quarantine and have gone outside or into public spaces with their faces partially covered, and issue an alert about the individual or people who may have been exposed to them.

This system is similar to one being used in Russia, where more than 100,000 cameras equipped with facial recognition technology are being used to keep people from violating strict quarantine orders laid out by President Putin. However, it should be noted that Russia has been facing a backlash from civil rights protesters claiming law enforcement is using COVID-19 as an excuse to bring online a system that will be used to silence political opposition and protest.

Corsight’s systems have already been installed in a number of public and private locations including European airports and hospitals, South American police departments and border crossings, and in mines and banks in Africa.

Source: Reuters

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April 28, 2020 – by Tony Bitzionis