NXP enables 3D face recognition for secure access control

The solution combines a 3D SLM camera with an MCU to deliver the performance and security of 3D face recognition at the edge, thereby removing the need to use an expensive and power-hungry Linux implementation on an MPU, as is traditionally required with high-performance 3D cameras.

The EdgeReady solution enables developers of smart locks and other access control systems to add machine learning-based secure face recognition quickly and easily to smart home and smart building products. The solution delivers reliable 3D face recognition in indoor and outdoor applications, across varied lighting conditions, including bright sunlight, dim night light, or other difficult lighting conditions that are challenging for traditional face recognition systems.

The use of a 3D SLM camera enables advanced liveness detection, helping distinguish a real person from spoofing techniques, such as a photograph, imitator mask or a 3D model, to prevent unauthorised access.

The i.MX RT117F utilises an advanced machine learning model as part of NXP’s eIQ machine learning software running on its high-performance CPU core that enables faster and accurate face recognition to improve both the user experience and power efficiency, the company claim.

Similar to the i.MX RT106F MCU-based NXP EdgeReady solution for secure face recognition, advanced liveness detection and face recognition are all done locally at the edge, making it possible for personal biometric data to remain on the device. This helps address consumer privacy concerns, while also eliminating the latency associated with cloud-based solutions.

The development kit for this 3D face recognition solution, SLN-VIZN3D-IOT, will be available later in November from NXP and authorised distributors, priced at MSRP of $299 each.

Part of the i.MX RT1170 family of crossover MCUs, the i.MX RT117F MCU is based on an Arm Cortex-M7 CPU with 2 MB of on-chip SRAM, running at up to 1GHz. The i.MX RT117F includes a license to use the NXP 3D face recognition software development kit, and is available in consumer, industrial and automotive temperature grades, with a suggested resale price starting at $7.02 for 10,000-unit quantities.