Advanced Digital Identification is a new and upcoming innovation created by NEC to greater enhance the overall security of people and their personal data from identify theft, fraud and attacks. It is also in aid of protecting against terrorism and illegal immigrants. There is nothing better than knowing what advancement of 'Big Brother' is protecting you and your environment.

Who are NEC?
NEC of Tokyo has specialised in telecom and IT technology for over 30 years now and has been committed to developing innovative security solutions via methods such as fingerprint and face recognition, the newest intelligent video surveillance software and smart card-based identity management methods thus making them the world's largest manufacturers in this field.

So what techniques are included in this new technology?

SmartCatch 2.5
SmartCatch 2.5 is the most leading real-time video surveillance technology of today. It gives us the most intelligent and accurate video-based security available phasing out false alarms that cost organisations money. It can identify particular objects in an area of view and alert the admin if that particular object is seen as a threat under several preconditions as I have mentioned below:

Features/modules
Unattended Object - SmartCatch is able to monitor areas over a permitted length of time and trigger an alert when something such as a bag, trolley, suitcase or package have been there longer than they should. This is a great prevention method for airports and underground systems in case of explosives etc. For example, a man walks into an airport lobby or an underground platform then waits there a few minutes, this is fine until he leaves his bag on the floor and walks off. This then alerts the camera to watch the bag and after a prolonged period of time (5 or 10 minutes) an alarm will be triggered to the security to check the bag incase it is a threat.

Crowd Detection - If an area such as a waiting area or a street gets overcrowded, SmartCatch can detect this by determining the crowd size based on an occupancy rate for the area of the room in the frame thus triggering an alert. So, for example, You have a hospital waiting room and the limit is 20 people and the crowd detection sees another 3 people join the room thus creating an alert to the admin to allow them to take further action and get a staff member to direct some people to another waiting room.

Exit Lane - This feature allows the admin to detect when a person enters the preconditioned area in the screen the wrong way and into a secure zone. So, if a person is walking along a walkway and comes across a shutter for entry only when they are exiting the building (in a prison for example) this will then trigger an alert and security will approach the person.

Tailgating/Piggybacking - This is a great feature for areas such as the London Underground in the entrances to the station. To get into the station you need to pay for your ticket and use it to open the gates to let you in. Some people do not buy tickets and follow a person through the gates and this is called 'tailgating' or 'piggybacking'. SmartCatch can see two or more people using one access card for an entrance by seeing the door not closing fully after the first person has entered and will trigger an alert regardless of size, speed or number of people entering the area. As I mentioned above, this feature also works with gates and can see if a vehicle tailgates another upon entry so it doen't matter about the size of the object entering the zone. If it doesn't enter or exit separately the alarm is then triggered.

Loitering (waiting around) - Loitering means 'waiting around' so this makes this feature pretty self explanatory. If someone is stood in a preconditioned area for longer than they should this will be detected and an alert made. What makes this feature unique is that it can detect multiple persons individually in the same area and determine wether or not each are loitering and also if the loitering is connected with each.

Perimeter Crossing - This is a very simple method of notification. The camera's view area is the perimeter and anything that enters it triggers an alert.

Stopped Vehicle - This is a similar concept to the 'loitering' module only it is for vehicles of any size that may stop in a predefined security zone for any length of time and once there for longer than they should the alarm is triggered. This is a great precation for suicide bombers using vehicles in areas such as cities and busy streets.

Fingerprint & face recognition technology

Quality Tool Finger
This service is just as good as the fingerprinting methods used by authorities, if not better. Aside from DNA identification, fingerprint ID is one of the most accurate ID methods available and enhanced by computer technology this creates a reliable source. In 2007 the ePass system (the new biometric passport) will include this technology alongside a facial image and biometric data.

Fingerprint recognition, if performed accurately and effectively is a fast and hassle free form of identification perfect for airports and stations. All fingerprints that are gathered by Quality Tool Finger must be verified by the software to ensure that the quality is substantial enough to be stored on the database for comparison. Identifiable points are then selected on the fingerprint and stored and several different fingers can be used.

NeoFace
NeoFace has been around for 3 years and works on a similar concept to Quality Tool Finger by using specific points such as the allignment of the eyes, nose and mouth to identify the face on a map or a grid. NEC also came up with the ingenious idea to combine the imagery of face mapping with memory of personal data such as a PIN or a password. However, this information could be forgotten or have complications with someone who is speech impedimented.

The more faces stored in a database makes it easier to identify someone later on for various reasons such as an identity parade (these can be unreliable in real as the person identifying the criminal can not always remember the face exactly). NeoFace can be used for banks to correctly identify the applicant, or for passport services for the same reason, access to security areas such as laboratories, airport security zones and prisons.

The image of the face is taken as a normal 2D image (like that of a passport photo) then wrapped around a model to enable the face to be turned and viewed side on, like the method used to create skins on gaming characters. Light shading will soon enhance the reliability of NeoFace so the face can be identified in several different conditions.

Quality Tool Face
Quality Tool Face is an anhancement of NeoFace and gives the user the ability to select points on the face to create the actual mapping system of which the face is identified. NeoFace is more the image side of things and Quality Tool Face is the technological side of the procedure. This feature will create the image of the face that will be used on the ePass as mentioned previously and also visa applications, driving licenses and citizen ID cards. If you are an artist, you will know that when it comes down to drawing faces you need something to work around and this is generally the form of a cross so the eyes, nose and mouth are alligned (as they generally are symmetrical on a face). This same method is used by Quality Tool Face only it has extras such as light recognition, facial size, rotation of the face and image size.

Light recognition/determination is vital in biometric identity as this can totally change the way a person looks. If the lighting is very pale you would see the person as white/caucasian and if the lighting is dark then the person can be mistaken as a mix-raced or dark-skinned caucasian thus totally changing the characteristics of facial features such as beards and moustaches as they will look considerably darker. The only disadvantages to this feature as of yet are images where people are wearing hats or glasses..no current method is developed to over come this.

Smart-card based ID Management

SafeSign Biometric Solution
Passwords, these were a great idea at the time but harbour risks and complications in today's computer world. Anything created by a human can be compromised so counter measures need to be introduced. Passwords can be forgotten, lost, stolen or cracked so we need something to back up the information to create double security such as unique physical features such as a biometric, encrypted smart card with electronic authorisation certificates similar to hose used on websites. Now you can't get any more secure than that! These smart cards are impossible to forge as they hold the user's fingerprint and the PIN which must be remembered by the user.

BlueX for your Digital ID Management
BlueX is a system that enables you to program and customise the data on your personal biometric ID cards and allow you to select which information is held on there such as PIN numbers, access details and biometric information such as face imagery or fingerprints. BlueX is compatible with most identification systems in a workplace and works well with imprinting and labelling. This is a corporate version of the ePass system which will be introduced to the public in 2007.