Students bring movie face-scanner to life

TWO Cork students have brought face-recognition techniques seen in the movies to real life.

The final-year project for UCC engineering graduates Ken Healy and Alan O’Connell could have major applications for checking passengers at airports or access to high security buildings and offices.

Their simple device, which has no name but is termed as a stereo imaging platform, has already won them a top national prize.

They picked up a cheque for 1,900 as winners of the Siemens Institute of Engineers of Ireland Young Engineer of the Year award last month, beating stiff opposition from top students in the country’s universities and institutes of technology.

The device might also be used for video conferencing systems that automatically identify the person speaking, or player-cams for tracking players in televised sports.

“Since the events of September 11, a lot of people are interested in finding something that will identify people and pick them out of a database,” said Dr Alan Morrison.

As Ken and Alan’s lecturer in the department of electrical and electronic engineering at UCC, he hopes to help them commercialise their invention.

Although much of the technology has been used separately, the cost-effective production and unique software could prove attractive to interested parties.

The device is about nine cubic inches in size and looks somewhat like a miniature oil rig, with four pillars on a table.

It is topped with a rotating table holding four more pillars from which two cameras are suspended, each able to turn up and down, and in or out.

The cameras identify a head by its elliptical shape and analyse it in huge detail, picking out features like the eyes, nose and mouth.

While the commercial prospects are still being examined, the two students are due to graduate with first-class honours and both of them have firm plans for the future.

Ken intends pursuing a PhD with Dr Morrison, while Alan will soon begin working with Analog Devices.