Digital Camera News

May 11, 2007

Bioscrypt Announces 3D Face Recognition Security DeskCam

May 10, 2007 – Imagine sitting down at your work computer to sign in for the day. Instead of typing in a password, a camera scans your face and then, after verifying your identity, it automatically logs you into the system. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi thriller, but the technology is real. Bioscrypt, a biometric technology company, recently announced the VisionAccess 3D DeskCam, what the company calls the "world’s first 3D recognition camera for logical access." The camera is a desktop security video camera that verifies a person’s identity using 3D facial recognition technology. It will be available by the end of the year.

Equipped with Bioscrypt’s VeriSoft Single Sign On software, the 3D DeskCam automatically logs a user onto a Web-based network or Windows application with a scan of their face. This type of technology could secure workstations for health care providers and banking institutions, according to Bioscrypt representatives.

"From the moment you walk through the door to when you sit down in front of the computer, [the 3D DeskCam] can add more security to the overall system," said Bioscypt Vice President of Marketing Matthew Bogart in an interview with DigitalCameraInfo.com.

The VisionAccess 3D DeskCam, in development since the late 1990s, is being called "the first of its kind," according to Bogart. Digital camera users may already be familiar with the buzz phrase "face detection." Unlike point-and-shoot face detection, which detects a person’s nose and eyes, Bioscrypt’s technology uses 3D facial recognition.

The 3D DeskCam analyzes specific features of the face based on the skull structure. The camera is trained to see three key facial features that typically do not change - the shape of the forehead, eye sockets, and the bridge of the nose.


According to the researchers, the camera accounts for normal human appearance changes, such as weight and hairstyle, and all types of ethnicities.

"It doesn’t see color or texture," said Zlockie. "[The technology is so accurate] it can detect between identical twins," according to Zlockie.

Measuring 3 x 0.5 inches, the desktop camera connects to a PC via a USB connection. The camera then measures over 40,000 points of the face within its field of view. Facial recognition takes less than a second. The camera’s infrared technology enables it to detect faces in low-lighting situations.

"IR will work in complete darkness," explained Bioscrypt Director Ryan Zlockie of Product Management. "It works very consistently in the real world," he added.

The 3D facial recognition technology does have some limitations. The camera has a field of view up to 3 feet. The Vision Access technology, similar to facial recognition technology in digital cameras, also works best with a front-facing portrait that shows both eyes. The camera can account for a profile to a degree, explained the Bioscrypt representatives.

At an expected price point of $350, the VisionAccess 3D DeskCam will be more widely available than other multi-thousand dollar pieces of equipment. Future uses could include home use for application such as online banking or computer 3D avatars, explained Zlockie. The VisionAccess 3D DeskCam is due out in the second half of the year by a Bioscrypt distribution channel.