NTT Docomo Signs On as SAFR Reseller

SAFR from RealNetworks is hoping to make inroads in the Japanese market after entering into a reseller arrangement with NTT Docomo. The latter is the largest mobile carrier in Japan, and will be offering SAFR’s facial recognition technology to organizations that are looking for ways to upgrade their access control and security postures.

The partnership builds on the existing relationship between the two companies. SAFR and NTT Docomo have previously worked together to install face-based access control tech at a hospital and a commercial facility, and in a standalone robot. Their partnership will address access control and watchlist surveillance use cases, as well as other edge computer vision applications. For example, SAFR’s facial recognition technology could be used for consumer analysis in the retail sector, or to enable biometric authentication for those making online payments.

NTT Docomo cited SAFR’s smaller computational footprint as a key factor in its partnership decision. The smaller size makes it easier to integrate SAFR’s tech into edge devices, and reduces latency and improves performance for those using the tech across 5G networks. The SAFR platform offers passive liveness detection to guard against fraud, and can track and analyze demographic traits like age and gender without storing the personal information of the people being observed. It can also gauge people’s emotional reactions to various materials.

“This agreement will accelerate the security and access control digital transformation for enterprise customers utilizing Docomo’s high-speed, low-latency 5G network with a low-bias AI computer vision platform,” said SAFR APAC VP Noriaki Takamura.

SAFR has already formed similar partnerships with Convergint Technologies and Setelsa Security. The former is marketing SAFR’s technology to customers in the United States, while the latter is focusing primarily on Europe and Latin America. NTT Docomo, meanwhile, has been working to expand its 5G network in collaboration with NEC.

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August 19, 2021 – by Eric Weiss