BAE Systems I3 investment in smarter, faster iris recognition

BAE Systems has invested £0.5 million to develop and enhance the iris recognition capability of algorithm specialists Smart Sensors Ltd during a nine month development project funded by its Investment In Innovation (I3) programme. 

In a world where people movement is growing at a sustained and rapid rate, accurate, automatic identification of individuals is increasingly important.  This project will deliver the next generation of iris recognition systems where enhanced algorithms and imaging techniques work together to capture and recognise the iris information of people whilst they are on the move.  The project will enable more robust recognition, allow its use in open environments and advanced security systems.

Iris recognition technology is widely regarded as the biometric with the highest potential individual performance in automatic identification.  In addition to its well established areas of use within the military and civil protection environments, it can be used in areas such as access control for computer systems and buildings, mass volume e-passport and border control schemes, and in national citizen ID schemes being introduced around the world.

The market for this technology is broad and fast-growing and is characterised by the increasing need to determine identity, trust and entitlement, automatically, quickly and accurately.

The capability can also be deployed to combat many of the various and increasingly more sophisticated forms of identity theft or deception.

Working primarily with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and academia, BAE Systems’ Investment In Innovation (I3) programme is a multi-million pound annual investment fund.  It supports organisations in developing technologies for the Company’s defence and security customers. It also provides non-financial support, drawing upon BAE System’s engineering, project management and technology resources including test and evaluation facilities.

David Mullin, BAE Systems Investment In Innovation Manager, said, “Iris recognition is a key component of the biometrics theme that BAE Systems are pursuing through its Investment In Innovation programme.  Smart Sensors have recognised capability and established intellectual property in this space.  Working with us on this important development project will support the broader application of this powerful capability to meet the needs of our defence and security customers.”

Martin George, CEO of Smart Sensors, said, “We see BAE Systems’ investment in us as a true win-win opportunity. Smart Sensors, as an SME, gets stable funding to focus on building our technology capability in the key area of acquiring iris biometrics from moving subjects.  BAE Systems gains access to our technology to deploy in security applications which are forming a growing part of its business strategy.”

About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a global defense, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services.  In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

About Smart Sensors Limited

With a portfolio of 9 granted and pending patents, Smart Sensors Limited is a leading global provider of iris (front of the eye) biometrics technology, now deployed in a range of products sold internationally into applications that include secure hands-free access control and automated border crossing.  Based in the UK at the University of Bath’s Innovation Centre in the city of Bath, Smart Sensors’ recent focus has been on applying its video analytics and image recognition techniques to iris biometrics acquisition of subjects on the move and at a distance.

For more information contact:

Jo Fry

BAE Systems

T +44 (0) 1252 384708

jo.fry@baesystems.com

Wanausha Rashed Khafaf

Smart Sensors Ltd

Tel. +44 (0) 1225 388690

Email: wkhafaf@smartsensors.co.uk