Apple came up with its flagship model iPhone X at a mega event held on September 8, 2017 at Steve Jobs Auditorium. While people are already going gaga over this revolutionary iPhone X and its face detection technology, it’s time to halt and analyze how it is different from ‘Iris Scanning’ technology used in Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8.
Both these companies, Apple and Samsung, are of the view that their biometric identification technique is superior to the other. To gauge the effectiveness and robustness of technology used in Face Detection and Iris Scanning, we need to understand how it identifies unique user and unlocks the phone.
Let’s take a look at working principle of each technology:
How does iPhone X’s Face Detection Technology Work?
After fingerprint scanner, Apple has now switched to Face ID as the biometric identification to unlock your device. User’s face itself is the password to unlock iPhone X. Though using face metrics to unlock phone is not a new phenomenon, it wasn’t completely secured and reliable. How did Apple manage to overcome security flaws and use it as the locking-unlocking feature in this new iPhone X?
Detection of User’s Face & Authentication
Three components, namely Dot Projector, Infrared Camera & Flood Illuminator, work in coordination to detect face of user and authenticate him.
Dot Projector emits over 30,000 invisible dots on the face of user. These dots come together to form 3D facial map. This dot pattern is further read and analyzed by Infrared camera. Capturing the infrared photo of user’s face, this data is then transferred to storage of A11 Bionic chipset for registering a new face or confirming a match.
Apple has considered low light conditions while developing technology for face ID unlock. Flood illuminator in iPhone X projects an invisible infrared light onto user’s face. This infrared flash ensures that Face ID works even in dark or during night time.
Gathering information about the user with these 3 major components and comparing the end result with the data stored in phone is the main technology behind Face ID of Apple.
Use of Artificial Intelligence for Recognizing Facial Changes
Does iPhone X recognize me if I try to unlock it wearing my sunglasses? Yes, obviously, it only makes sense to recognize authorized user irrespective of additional accessories that user wears or even if he grows beard and mustache.
This is where artificial intelligence plays its role. With the help of an AI and neural network based system, iPhone X gradually adapts to user’s facial changes. The powerful combination of smart software and corresponding hardware empowers iPhone X to detect your real face.
These AI capabilities make it next to impossible for anyone to cheat on Face ID detection. This is what makes Apple Face ID unlock system far superior to previously existing ones.
As a matter of fact, no biometric system can ever be 100% safe and secured. Though Apple has tried its best to ensure protection of the device from unauthorized users, hackers may come up with some tricks to bypass biometric and unlock phone without Face ID.
How does Samsung’s Iris Scanner Technology Work?
To explain in layman language, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Note 8 scan user’s eyeballs for authentication process. Every eye has a unique pattern in Iris; in fact the left eye and right eye of one particular user is also different. This unique identification is used as an authorization metric to unlock the phone.
Recognizing Authorized User’s Iris
Samsung uses a specialized hardware on the body of the phone called as IR LED. This is a kind of diode that works by emitting infrared light to illuminate user’s eyes. The wavelength of this light is such that humans can’t see or feel it, but its power is such that it brightens up user’s eyes.
The colors in user’s iris reflect with the near infrared light emitted by IR LED to create a distinctive pattern. This image is grabbed by narrow focus Iris camera that is different from regular front facing camera on your Galaxy S8.
The data collected is further analyzed and stored on the phone. This data is then used to create a token, which the iris scanner matches to recognize the right token for detecting authorized user’s eyes. Some basic data about face of user is collected from Samsung phone’s front camera too. This data is used to properly position user’s face and keep it aligned with iris scanner for faster results.
Face ID versus Iris Scanner: Who’s the Winner?
Argument for Iris Scanner:
Samsung’s Iris Scanner works smoothly only when user’s eyes are perfectly placed with respect to iris scanner’s position. No user would like to wait for 5 to 10 seconds just to get his/her phone unlocked. This is where Samsung had to compromise on security factor by striking a balance between security and convenience.
As per the research and tests, Iris scanner can be fooled with the help of high resolution laser printed photo and contact lens for the curvature of eye.
Practical Scenario:
However, in real world scenario where would be no one having such high resolution photo of your eye that could match the security standards of Samsung Galaxy S8 or Note 8.
If learned to use Iris scanner properly, it would give fast and secured unlocking results in no time. Tip: Hold your Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8 high in front of eyes wide open to get the best results.
Argument for Face ID:
Face ID is quite fast and easy to access by user, though the Apple professional did not get it right at first attempt in the launch event of iPhone X. If compared on the technical front, Face ID has better security than Iris Scanner as it collects more information by mapping the entire face of user in a wider field of view.
The contrast of face against background creates a sense of depth that clearly isolates user’s face shape. Thus the chance of fooling this secured Face ID mechanism seems tough.
Practical Scenario:
The extraordinary AI capabilities and Bionic Neural Engine that shares shape data with software without exposing it accounts for reliable Face ID unlocking system. The authentication process is very reliable, secured and fast, thus fulfilling all basic criteria of unlocking system.
Though the practicality of iPhone X’s Face ID could be gauged only after hands-on experience post the release of iPhone to masses.
Considering the rising concern of users with respect to security of mobile devices, mobile application development companies are now focusing on building apps that are completely secured and protect the privacy of users in every possible way.
albert
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