DWT sites: DWT | Tokyo Zakka! Japanese Gadgets! | WeTokyo Friendfinder | Jobs in Japan | Eigo Factory | Snapp! Mobile PR & Marketing NEW!!


Biometric face scanner tells identical twins apart
May 9th, 2008

Should Homer Simpson ever try to smuggle his unqualified identical twin brother into work in his stead, a new biometric identification system that will be used to secure nuclear plants is sure to prompt a “D’oh!” or seven.

The technology, which comes from a Japanese firm called Sagawa Advance, is sufficiently accurate to be able to tell identical twins apart – a massive advance on current technologies, which famously can’t tell Jessica Alba from a plank of wood. Oh, wait…

Anyway, Sagawa’s thing uses an infrared scanner to analyse 40,000 data points on a face before comparing the details against a database of people it already knows. If there’s no match then access to power plants, medical factories and other sensitive areas is easily denied.

Sagawa plans to sell the scanner and database computer set for ¥6 million ($60,000) later this year, with a view to shifting 40 units in its first twelve months.

(Crossposted to TechRadar)

Hire us to write for you, consult on Japan tech and more.
Click here and let us know what you need and maybe follow us on Twitter for all sorts of Japan adventuring.


07:13 PM Mark Hiratsuka • Permalink
R&D
Tagged with: biometrics face recognition sagawa
Add a comment | More DWT | Get a cool job in Japan! | Follow us on Twitter

Share this story online:

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Or try the world's biggest matchmaking site:


Japanese gadgets from Tokyo Zakka!Perfect gifts for your nerdiest friends back home!


Next entry: Face recognition machines to stop under-age smoking - not!

Previous entry: Buckyballs power tiny fuel-cell powerhouse


C'mon - let's hear it...

Spammers beware: Any links in comments to commercial websites will be treated as paid advertising and will be charged at rate of $10 per link per day. Invoices will be sent to the idiots who hire you for so-called SEO jobs. All you good people will always keep it real, of course - thanks!