Fujitsu today announced the development of a new multi-factor biometric authentication technology to deliver an innovative shopping experience for the “New Normal” era, combining non-contact biometrics that filter the verification target through facial data with identification performed via palm vein recognition. This technology enables identification with greater than 99% accuracy even when the user wears a mask.
With typical facial recognition technology, when a user is wearing a mask only the exposed eye area is checked in order to extract features such as the shape and position of the face. This method cannot extract the features of the entire face, presenting the possibility that the target user cannot be recognized due to insufficient data. In order to reduce this effect, the newly developed technology generates an image of the user’s face without a mask while taking into account the extraction of features of the entire face, like its shape and contours.
The system uses various types of masks in order to deal with situations in which masks of various colors, patterns and shapes are worn by users. This makes multi-factor authentication more hygienic and easier to use by allowing people to undergo authentication without removing their mask. By using the newly developed technology and user interface, Fujitsu hopes to provide safer and more secure services while preventing the spread of infectious diseases in a variety of situations, including payments at brick and mortar stores using biometric authentication and personal identification at leisure facilities.
The user interface of the palm vein authentication system has also been improved to enable smoother use. A palm-shaped light has been added to the sensor, and the color and the pattern of the light changes according to the distance of the hand, so that the appropriate height for accurate authentication is apparent .This allows people who are not familiar with palm vein authentication to adjust their palms to the appropriate height for smooth, contactless authentication.
