US Air Force to Adapt SAFR Biometric Security Through Pair of Contracts

“…one of the contracts will see SAFR – a subsidiary of RealNetworks – collaborating with Security Forces at an Air Force base to integrate its facial recognition technology into fixed and mobile devices with embedded cameras…”

SAFR has won a pair of new contracts that will see its biometric facial recognition and computer vision technology adapted for deployment by the United States Air Force.

The contracts, valued at $950,000 each, were awarded through AFWERX, an Air Force innovation team tasked with connecting the military agency with the private tech sector. The contracts are part of a program called Phase II Small Business Innovation Research, or “SBIR”, which is specifically focused on getting small business to engage in federal research and development through awards and the incentive of profit through commercialization.

As SAFR explained in a statement announcing its contract wins, SBIR lets any other federal agency issue a sole-source contract for technology developed through the program, meaning SAFR’s work could lead to further federal contracts in the future.

As for the work itself, one of the contracts will see SAFR – a subsidiary of RealNetworks – collaborating with Security Forces at an Air Force base to integrate its facial recognition technology into fixed and mobile devices with embedded cameras, with the aim of enhancing perimeter security.

The other contract entails a partnership with a different Air Force wing to adapt SAFR’s facial recognition technology for contactless access control. The work will involve enhancing SAFR’s resistance to spoofing attacks, and will focus on deployments through existing IP security cameras.

Commenting on the contract wins, SAFR General Manager Dan Grimm emphasized the facial recognition platform’s proven track record.

“SAFR is used by commercial customers around the world for tens of millions of recognitions per month using on-premise and cloud deployments for secure access, perimeter security and a variety of other use-cases,” he said. “SAFR is used by commercial customers around the world for tens of millions of recognitions per month using on-premise and cloud deployments for secure access, perimeter security and a variety of other use-cases.”

News of the contract wins comes just about a month after SAFR’s announcement of a new regional office for the Middle East, signaling the company’s rising profile in the international biometrics market.

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August 7, 2020 – by Alex Perala