Face Recognition Comes to Cameraphones

An anonymous reader writes "If you have a camera phone, you may soon have to take a picture of yourself before making a call or accessing data stored on the device. A Japanese company has developed face recognition software for camera phones that it says can authenticate users within one second of clicking the shutter. Omron (Japanese) will demonstrate its Okao Vision Face Recognition Sensor at tomorrow's Security Show Japan in Tokyo."

Comments

Secure?

[ackthpt]

One Fine Day In Court, Next Year:
"How did you do it, son? And by that I mean how did you break into Darl McBride's files?"
"I took a picture of a magazine cover and I got access to everything, his phone directory, his notes, pictures, even his personal phone messages from Pariahs Anonymous."

You'd think they'd avoid visible light and use IR or a combo to pull this off, though in IR we can also look different depending which end of the ski run we are on ...

Bullwinkle: "Eeeny meenie, chili beanie, the iPod is about to squeak"
Rocky: "Did it reveal anything Bullwinkle?"
Bullwinkle: "Did it?!? It's my new Linux boxen!"

Tinfoil

[Crash24]

Maybe it won't recognize me when I'm wearing my tinfoil hat...

This is easy to hack...

[stubear]

...and use someone elses cell phone. All you need to do is lob of their head and carry it around in a sack with you. When you need to make a call, pull out the head and snap a picture; free cell phone minutes.

Tammy Faye Baker

[goombah99]

Or what if you are tammy fey? do you have to put on the same face every day?

Re:Tammy Faye Baker

[mobby_6kl]

Or what if you're Michael Jackson, and your nose just fell off?

Barcode?

[suwain_2]

Do you need a barcode on your face for it to work?

Re:Skeptical

[lacheur]

Well, they forgot to mention you have to tattoo a barcode on your forehead for this to work...

Much worse!

[r00t]

Now they won't just steal you cell phone.
They have to cut off your face too!

Re:Presumably...

[Lev13than]

Personally I think the whole idea of password protecting my cell is ridiculous, but I suppose there are some people in sensitive places that need to have their phones protected against thefts and things. Like Paris Hilton.

Of course, authenticating against a stock photo poses certain challenges for Paris. For example, every time she wants to make a call she'll have to whip off her top and make out with a brunette.