Covid Cash: Facial Recognition and Thermal Imaging Techs Are Booming
Robert Wheeler, The Organic Prepper
Scoop Publisher Francesco Abbruzzino
The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be the biggest gift possible for tyrants all across the globe. From economic power grabs made by corporations and the incineration of basic civil liberties, the ruling class has introduced itself as the arbiters and dictators of virtually all human interaction.
And the surveillance industry has also benefitted massively from the pandemic.
What’s new in facial recognition?
For instance, facial recognition technology is being rolled out at an alarmingly fast pace. The tech is more and more exact in its capabilities and no longer handicapped by mask wearing or face coverings. In a report by the Department of Homeland Security released in early January 2021, the department admitted to having conducted tests regarding the efficacy of facial recognition technologies in relation to mask wearers.
The test was administered by the DHS Science and Technology Directorate and were conducted as a part of STD’s Biometric Technology Rally, an event held during the fall at the Maryland Test Facility. DHS claims that the success rate for this technology could reduce the need for passengers or travelers to remove their masks at airports or ports of entry.
The third annual rally evaluated the ability of biometric acquisition systems and matching algorithms to reliably collect and match images of individuals wearing a diverse array of face masks. Previous rallies show biometric systems can excel at rapidly processing high volumes of travelers using face recognition. This year’s focused on using such systems to detect and recognize travelers without asking them to remove their masks, thereby protecting both the public and frontline workers during the COVID-19 era.
The event included 10 days of human testing which involved 60 facial recognition configurations (which used six face and/or iris scanning systems with 10 matching algorithms) and took advantage of 582 “diverse” test volunteers that represented 60 countries. The systems were then evaluated based upon their ability to take images of each volunteer reliably without masks, processing time, and overall satisfaction.
The results? According to the Biometric Rally website:
- Without masks, the technology had an average 93% identification rate. The best system had a rate of 100%.
- With masks, the technology had an average of 77% accuracy and the best performing system had a rate of 96%.
So much for the theory that “at least the masks will make it harder for them to use facial rec on us.”
Then there’s thermal imaging, too.
But that’s not the only technology that is booming as a result the meeting between the “pandemic” and the surveillance state. Thermal imaging is also in demand as governments across the world begin deploying the technology at airports, railways, and public gathering spaces. The technology is designed to measure a person’s body temperature. In this instance, it will be used to measure whether or not a person has a fever.
************************************
Facebook is going to great lengths to restrict my page from showing up in your feed, unless I advertise with them. Their algorithm gives a higher score (see more of my postings) if individuals like my page and belong to my Scoop News Group. Join the group today by clicking —- >>> here.