Pelco News Release - October 26, 2001
For Immediate Release
9:30 A.M., October 26, 2001
For Further Information Contact: Mr. David L. McDonald, President and CEO
World's First Pelco Facial Recognition System at Fresno Airport
Pelco, the world's largest manufacturer of video security systems, announced
today that it has achieved a dramatic breakthrough in facial recognition
technology; with a test system successfully operational at the Fresno Yosemite
International Airport. The PelcoMATCH™ Facial Recognition System, believed to
be the first of this type in actual operation anywhere in the world, compares
live video frames of individuals proceeding through a security checkpoint to a
file of known suspects such as terrorists. A positive match, which can usually
occur in less than one second, sets off visual and audible alarms as well as
immediately notifying authorities via computer network, modem, or police radio.
The view station monitor displays the "live" photo beside the suspect's file
photo; along with associated text including name and instructions such as "hold
and notify local FBI." The test system at the Fresno Airport is currently
loaded with terrorists' photos only.
The development of this leading-edge technology has been conducted largely in
secret by teams of engineers at the company's Clovis, California headquarters
as well as at Pelco's Research and Development Center in Orangeburg, New York.
The project's code name, "Twenty-four/Seven," is descriptive of the extreme,
around-the-clock effort applied towards this system's development. Last week,
Pelco confidentially notified the FBI, CIA, FAA, and appropriate members of
Congress of the imminent release of the PelcoMATCH™ System and planned test at
the Fresno Airport. Governor Tom Ridge, Director of Homeland Security, has been
personally briefed on this system. Additional "rapid-fire" refinements and
improvements will be made to this system based on actual experience gained with
the current Fresno test. In about two weeks the company is planning to expand
this test to include The San Francisco International Airport, where a large new
Pelco system is already being installed.
The extremely complex core software used by Pelco was originally developed at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and further refined by Viisage, a
Massachusetts based biometrics firm. This software, coupled with Pelco
hardware, was tested at the Superbowl in Tampa Bay earlier this year where
nineteen suspects were identified in a crowd of 70,000 attendees. Other
software systems such as Visionics are also under evaluation by Pelco. The
computer software, further customized for Pelco's precise application, converts
a facial image into an elaborate set of data which is then compared to those in
the "match" file. The PelcoMATCH™ System includes high performance proprietary
cameras, powerful high speed computers, built-in digital recording of
twenty-four cameras simultaneously as well as attractive camera pedestals. This
system can be utilized in nearly any high security application such as Customs,
government facilities, and large crowd applications. The suspect "match" file
can contain thousands of individuals, if necessary. This new technology is not
as precise as fingerprints and will, even when working optimally, produce
occasional "false positives" which can easily be resolved by local authorities.
Additionally, the "positive capture" rate is less than 100 percent; but high
enough to be an extremely effective tool for law enforcement.
Pelco products are sold through a worldwide network of 5,000 authorized dealers
located in the U.S. and over 100 other countries. Pelco video security systems
are protecting people and property around the clock in over one million
locations throughout the world.
|
