MINNETONKA, Minn., 7 Sept. 2005. Identix Inc. today announced that it was awarded a contract from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), a Department of Defense agency, to develop applications integrating and capitalizing on recent advances in facial recognition and associated technologies.
The contract, which is valued at approximately $1.6 million over a one year period, involves a two-prong research effort by Identix: long term facial recognition research and a development effort to provide solutions to near-term real world problems.
Identix will pursue a number of research areas under this contract, including:
* fusion of facial and skin recognition algorithms for heightened accuracy and speed for identification applications;
* integration of surface technology analysis (skin biometrics) into facial recognition applications;
* evaluating the state-of-the-art advances in digital camera imaging technology and its impact on facial recognition performance; and
* analysis of facial recognition performance in outdoor (sunlight) scenarios.
Among the specific objectives of this contract are:
* to further the state of the art in facial and image recognition technologies for the purposes of human identification,
* to develop a clear value proposition for a new applications to be deployed to fight the war on terror, and
* to develop a cost effective human identity solution for the U.S. military for land and/or sea use.
Identix President & CEO Dr. Joseph J. Atick commented, "Improving our core technologies through a focus on the value of biometric applications is the hallmark of our research program, and we welcome the opportunity to work with ONR on real world problems of significant benefit to the war on terror."
ONR promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and provides technical advice to the Chief of Naval Operations and the Secretary of the Navy, working with industry to improve technology manufacturing processes.
"Our work on facial recognition technology applications for some of our government's leading agencies is rapidly expanding in both the scope of the applications and the breadth of agencies looking to incorporate facial recognition solutions to solve real world issues," Atick said.
"Identix' numerous wins in some of the highest profile awards to the biometric industry from agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State and the Department of Defense are a strong affirmation of the real world benefits that are being achieved now through the integration of our biometric technologies. We believe our government as well as governments and corporate enterprises throughout the world are firmly committed to taking meaningful steps towards adopting biometrics for a very large number of diverse programs and applications."
Identix Inc. is a multi-biometric technology company, providing fingerprint, facial and skin biometric technologies, as well as systems, and critical system components that empower the identification of individuals in large-scale ID and ID management programs. The company's offerings include live scan systems and services for biometric data capture, mobile systems for on-the-spot ID, and backend standards-based modules and software components for biometric matching and data mining.
Identix products are used to conduct background checks, speed travel and commerce via secure identification documents, prevent identity fraud in large-scale government and civil ID programs, and control access to secure areas and networks. With a global network of partners, such as leading system integrators, defense prime contractors and OEMs, Identix serves a broad range of markets including government, law enforcement, gaming, finance, travel, transportation, corporate enterprise and healthcare. For more information, see www.identix.com.
