iProov hopes to bring face verification to every smartphone

Facial verification for authentication is gradually extending beyond smartphones and finding application in real-world scenarios. The Ministry of Civil Aviation recently introduced the Digi Yatra initiative, enabling passengers to access airports through facial recognition. London-based company iProov has received clearance for a pilot project from the US Department of Homeland Security and is poised to gain significant traction in India due to its technology not requiring high-end cameras or additional equipment for user authentication.

Aarti Samani, leading product innovation at iProov, emphasizes the uniqueness of their solution. Unlike traditional face verification methods that may struggle to confirm the authenticity of a real person, iProov ensures the genuineness of the detected face. Samani explains that their technology utilizes the ubiquitous presence of screens, cameras, and networks in devices like phones and laptops. By projecting light onto the face and analyzing how it interacts with the skin, iProov determines the three-dimensional nature of the face, ensuring its authenticity. Users only need to hold their devices in a natural position during the process.

iProov employs a combination of RGB to illuminate the face in a cryptographic sequence unique to each individual throughout their lifetime. This results in a 2.5-second video uploaded to a server, where it is analyzed for authenticity and matched with a photo in the database. The technology is device-agnostic, requiring only a camera and an internet connection, making it well-suited for widespread use in a country like India. The company holds 11 patents protecting its technology.

Samani notes that the Department of Homeland Security rigorously tested iProov’s solution at land crossings, creating 668 different types of spoofing attacks, all of which failed. In contrast, Apple’s FaceID first confirms “attention and intent” by checking for open and directed eyes, then projects and reads over 30,000 infrared dots to create a depth map of the face. The uses for facial verification are diverse, spanning from banking and HR to security in environments like airports and government offices. iProov has adapted its technology to accommodate aging subjects, changes in facial features, and issues commonly associated with photographs used in passports and similar documents.