Apple patents new Face ID that uses facial heat mapping

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According to a PatentlyApple report, the US Patent and Trademark Office awarded Apple a new patent that is related to its Face ID biometric security system. The patent details a next-gen advancement in facial recognition technology, which apparently uses facial heat mapping for authentication.

Nowadays, most phones are equipped with biometric face and fingerprint authentication. Apple has been using Face ID for a long time which was very efficient but the latest version of the technology will be difficult to fool. Traditionally, the facial authentication system uses the user’s face in a captured image. However, there are some drawbacks to the current system like glasses, face masks, and even hair that can potentially interfere with the authentication process. 

The patent describes that any occlusion or obstruction of facial features can be detected and assessed by a special heat-mapping camera on a device. This process will create landmark heat maps of a facial image and then compare it with the actual image of the face to determine the location of facial features like the eyes, nose, and mouth of the users.

Also, following the inception of the ongoing pandemic, Face ID has become somewhat useless as most of us are often wearing masks that cover our faces. Hence, this new process of facial recognition might eradicate that problem and allow the Cupertino giant to keep Face ID in its future devices.

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