You’ve probably seen movies like 007 or Minority Report that show agencies using facial recognition imaging to identify subjects as the enter a building or airport. In the movies, the main character can usually elude detection by wearing a complex facial mask or by using fake fingerprints, but a new type of recognition software is growing out of the United Kingdom. Instead of identifying people by their faces, researchers hope to implement technology that can identify subjects by looking at their knees.
Computer scientist Lior Shamir published his ideas in the International Journal of Biometrics, proposing that an MRI system could scan the legs of people as they walk through a specified area. The system would map bone structure in the knee and leg, and compare it to biometric records in the computer’s software.
Such technology is already in its early stages, as Shamir has developed a program that can match individuals with 93 percent accuracy. Shamir’s software looked at knee scans of 2,686 people, and he hopes it can be used in conjunction with other forms of identification, like fingerprints or passports. He believes the knee scanners could be placed along walkways in airport terminals to help confirm identity.
Not only would it help prevent illegal international activity, but it would allow authorities to collect information without stopping each person. Also, Shamir believes it could reduce the number of x-ray machines in use, which would limit the amount of radiation exposure.
Shamir’s study is fascinating, but there is still plenty of work to be done. Shamir said current MRI technology is too slow to be deployed in an airport as currently proposed, and he wants to improve the accuracy of the program.
While wigs and colored contacts may fool some authorities, swapping out your “wanted” legs for a clean pair would be a first.
Dr. Silverman comments
This is a very interesting application of medical technology.
Usually we hear of medical technology developed from areas like space exploration or from military technology, but this study seems to go in a different direction. For years, medical imaging has been used to help people identify harmful occurrences in their body, like in the detection of cancer or abnormalities, but this technology would keep people safe by detecting potentially harmful individuals. It presents us with a fresh take on medical imaging.
With that said, I’m sure there are several ethicists and others such as the ACLU that would disagree with the imaging, claiming an invasion of privacy. It will be an uphill battle to get this type of technology approved for use. However, it would certainly give a new meaning to the expression that a person is in “good standing”.
Related source: Wired.co.uk