 |
|
Face recognition: nurture not nature
August 20, 2008Reporting in the open-access journal PLoS ONE on August 20, researchers have discovered that our society can influence the way we recognise other people's faces.
Because face recognition is effortlessly achieved by people from all different cultures it was considered to be a basic mechanism universal among humans. However, by using analyses inspired by novel brain imaging technology, researchers at the University of Glasgow have discovered that cultural differences cause us to look at faces differently.
Lead researcher Dr Roberto Caldara said: "In a series of eye-movement studies, we showed that social experience has an impact on how people look at faces. Specifically we noticed a striking difference in eye movements in Westerners and East Asian observers. We found that Westerners tend to look at specific features on an individual's face such as the eyes and mouth whereas East Asian observers tend to focus on the nose or the centre of the face which allows a more general view of all the features. One possible cause of this could be that direct or excessive eye contact may be considered rude in East Asian cultures."
The results of the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council, provide novel insights into why non verbal communication between people from different cultures is sometimes problematic, in an age where globalisation has dramatically increased interdependence, integration and interaction among people and corporations from all over the world. Western societies are generally more individualistic, whereas East Asian societies are collectivistic; Westerners appear to think and perceive focally and Easterners globally.
Dr Caldara continued: "By disproving the long-held assumption that face processing is universally achieved we have highlighted that the external environment, including the society in which we develop, is very influential in basic human mechanisms and caution should be taken when generalising findings to the entire human population."
Public Library of Science
The results of the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Medical Research Council, provide novel insights into why non verbal communication between people from different cultures is sometimes problematic, in an age where globalisation has dramatically increased interdependence, integration and interaction among people and corporations from all over the world. Western societies are generally more individualistic, whereas East Asian societies are collectivistic; Westerners appear to think and perceive focally and Easterners globally.
Dr Caldara continued: "By disproving the long-held assumption that face processing is universally achieved we have highlighted that the external environment, including the society in which we develop, is very influential in basic human mechanisms and caution should be taken when generalising findings to the entire human population."
Public Library of Science
Face Recognition Current Events and Face Recognition News RSSImproving security with face recognition technology
A number of U.S. states now use facial recognition technology when issuing drivers licenses. Similar methods are also used to grant access to buildings and to verify the identities of international travelers. Historically, obtaining accurate results with this type of technology has been a time intensive activity.
BioVault locks up biometrics
A system that allows biometric data to be used to create a secret key for data encryption has been developed by researchers in South Africa.
Recognition at last
A rapid but superior method for computerized face recognition could revolutionize security systems especially if it can see through disguises.
'Super-recognizers,' with extraordinary face recognition ability, never forget a face
Some people say they never forget a face, a claim now bolstered by psychologists at Harvard University who've discovered a group they call "super-recognizers": those who can easily recognize someone they met in passing, even many years later.
New insight into how bees see
New research from Monash University bee researcher Adrian Dyer could lead to improved artificial intelligence systems and computer programs for facial recognition.
Are you phonagnosic?
The first known case of someone born without the ability to recognise voices has been reported in a paper by UCL (University College London) researchers, in a study of a rare condition known as phonagnosia. The UCL team are calling for other people to come forward if they think they have also grown up with the condition.
The Nose Knows: Two Fixation Points Needed for Face Recognition
Many of us are bad at remembering names but we are very quick to point out that at least we never forget a face.
Child witnesses -- how to improve their performance
A study at the University of Leicester into how to improve child and young adult witnesses' evidence has looked at several issues that affect witnesses' accuracy.
Face facts: People don't stand out in crowds
Why is it difficult to pick out even a familiar face in a crowd? We all experience this, but the phenomenon has been poorly understood until now.
Twins study shows genetic basis for face and place recognition
New evidence suggests our brains are hardwired before birth to recognize faces and places. But in contrast, the neural circuitry we use to recognize words develops mainly as a result of experience.
More Face Recognition Current Events and Face Recognition News Articles
 |
Reliable Face Recognition Methods: System Design, Implementation and Evaluation (International Series on Biometrics) by Harry Wechsler (Author) One of the grand challenges for computational intelligence and biometrics is to understand how people process and recognize faces and to develop automated and reliable face recognition systems. Biometrics has become the major component in the complex decision making process associated with security applications. The many challenges addressed for face detection and authentication include cluttered environments, occlusion and disguise, temporal changes, and last but not least, robust training and open set testing. Reliable Face Recognition Methods seeks to comprehensively address the face recognition problem while drawing inspiration and gaining new insights from complementary fields of endeavor such as neurosciences, statistics, signal and image processing, computer vision, and... |
 |
Handbook of Face Recognition by Stan Z. Li (Editor), Anil K. Jain (Editor) Although the history of computer-aided face recognition stretches back to the 1960s, automatic face recognition remains an unsolved problem and still offers a great challenge to computer-vision and pattern recognition researchers. This handbook is a comprehensive account of face recognition research and technology, written by a group of leading international researchers. Twelve chapters cover all the sub-areas and major components for designing operational face recognition systems. Background, modern techniques, recent results, and challenges and future directions are considered. The book is aimed at practitioners and professionals planning to work in face recognition or wanting to become familiar with the state-of- the-art technology. A comprehensive handbook, by leading research... |
 |
eeBoo I Never Forget a Face Memory Game by eeBoo A wonderful way to develop an appreciation of multi-culturalism as well as enhancing memory skills. Includes 24 pairs of faces for matching. |
 |
Face Processing: Advanced Modeling and Methods by Wenyi Zhao (Editor), Rama Chellappa (Editor) Major strides have been made in face processing in the last ten years due to the fast growing need for security in various locations around the globe. A human eye can discern the details of a specific face with relative ease. It is this level of detail that researchers are striving to create with ever evolving computer technologies that will become our perfect mechanical eyes. The difficulty that confronts researchers stems from turning a 3D object into a 2D image. That subject is covered in depth from several different perspectives in this volume. This book begins with a comprehensive introductory chapter for those who are new to the field. A compendium of articles follows that is divided into three sections. The first covers basic aspects of face processing from human to... |
 |
fXGuard Windows Logon Computer Access Control with Face Recognition Technology by RCG The latest face recognition software specially designed for computers. With FxGuard your face is the login ID and password o access your PC/Notebook. More secure than passwords that can be forgotten or stolen. Comes with free USB camera. |
 |
Toshiba Mobile Satellite M505D-S4930 14.0-Inch Laptop - Black/Grey by Toshiba Offering generous features, solid performance and great portability, the 14-inch diagonal Satellite M505 laptop is ideal for on-the-go entertainment, work and learning. So you’ll stand out while you’re moving out, it sports a classy upscale look that includes a high-gloss Fusion Finish with a Sonic pattern in Black Onyx, along with a color-matched interior and keyboard. And so you can multitask while staying in touch, it also offers excellent power, battery life and a great communications package. As for fun, it combines eco-smart Toshiba technologies and a stunning hidef TruBrite display for more seamless media viewing and playbacksDVDs, home movies and morealong with exciting casual gaming. |
 |
Vtech Peek-a-Boo Sunny Face by Vtech Happy light-up Peek-a-boo sunny face flashes along as your little one plays and learns by pressing the shapes or sticking them to the face for fun responses! Peek-a-boo sunny face - key features Shapes attach magnetically and each one is recognised individually to teach shape names, colours and weather concepts with fun melodies and sound effects. Pressing and sticking shapes on this baby development toy builds motor skills while lights, bright colours, interesting textures and fun sounds all give sensory stimulation for early development. |
 |
BMV Quantum Subliminal CD Remember Names and Faces: Improve Your Memory for Remembering People (Ultrasonic Subliminal Series) Program your subconscious mind to remember faces and names so you can easily remember people by face. Create life-changing results using state-of-the-art subliminal and brainwave entrainment technologies. Tune your brainwaves to specific frequencies by listening to this CD! Program your subconscious mind for positive lasting results, created by a Certified Hypnotherapist and NLP Practitioner (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Silent affirmations, inaudible hypnotic suggestions and thousands of powerful subliminal messages program your subconscious mind for positive results. The first 3 tracks have an ocean background. The Silent Ultrasonic Track 4 is completely silent with no sound at all! BMV exclusive Quantum Subliminal Matrix Technology sets a new standard for the subliminal industry! BMV... |
 |
Face Recognition: New Research by Katherine B. Leeland (Editor) Face perception is the process by which the brain and mind understand and interpret the face, particularly the human face. The face is an important site for the identification of others and conveys significant social information. Probably because of the importance of its role in social interaction, psychological processes involved in face perception are known to be present from birth, to be complex, and to involve large and widely distributed areas in the brain. These parts of the brain can be damaged to cause a specific impairment in understanding faces known as prosopagnosia. This book presents the latest research in the field. |
 |
VeriLook Standard SDK by Neurotechnology VeriLook SDK is based on the VeriLook PC-based face recognition technology and is intended for biometric systems developers and integrators. It allows rapid development of biometric applications using functions from the VeriLook library, which ensure high reliability of the face identification. VeriLook SDK enables 1:1 and 1:N matching modes, simultaneous multiple face detection, processing and identification with a comparison speed of 100,000 faces per second. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |