NEC launches LaVie laptops with "Face Pass"

Biometric face recognition as password

4 September 2007 8:37 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

NEC has launched new laptop ranges in Japan - the LaVie C and LaVie L series. The most notable feature of the new ranges is the inclusion of "Face Pass" security features.

Rather than go down the fingerprint scanning route, NEC is ensuring your laptop is secure with facial recognition software.

The program used is NEC's own Biometric face recognition system called "NeoFace" which uses a combination of eye-zone extraction and facial recognition to grant you access to your computer.

NEC developed the technology for security applications such as border control, sensitive corporate areas and prison management so it is interesting it has ended up in what is a consumer product.

To use the NeoFace program you have to set up a profile with three photographs of yourself and then when you try and log on the laptop will scan your facial characteristics via the integrated camera.

NEC claim it's a fast and accurate system and uses a very "thorough matching procedure" which also works with photos of people wearing glasses, a hat, through changes in facial hair and in expression.

It all sounds great - apart from one crucial thing - they clearly haven't taken into account evil identical twins.