Synaptics Announces All-In-One Fingerprint and Facial Recognition System for Mobile Devices

[MacRumors]

Ahead of CES 2017, Synaptics today announced a new multi-factor biometric engine for use in smartphones, tablets, and notebook PCs. The new platform, made in partnership with facial recognition company KeyLemon, incorporates both fingerprint and facial recognition, allowing a mobile device to be unlocked in multiple ways depending on what's most convenient for the user.

The system also provides additional security for financial transactions and the unlocking of other sensitive information, as two modes of authentication can be required.

The Synaptics multi-factor fusion engine combines authentication scores from multiple biometrics to determine verification. This increases overall system security as both fingerprint and facial factors have to meet minimum threshold requirements before authentication. In addition, the fusion engine improves usability as lower individual verification thresholds still result in greater security.

The multi-factor fusion engine features anti-spoof technology, using AI to distinguish between fake and actual fingers. The facial recognition feature in the platform also checks for eye blinking and head movement to prevent spoofing. While Synaptics is focusing on finger and facial recognition at the moment, Synaptics VP of marketing Anthony Gioeli says future iterations will include "additional biometric and security factors."

Synaptics also recently introduced fingerprint sensors capable of scanning a fingerprint through glass, allowing for button-free display designs able to take advantage of fingerprint recognition functionality.

Apple is working on a similar technology for the iPhone 8, but while Synaptics is an Apple supplier, Apple likely has its own proprietary solution in the works.

Article Link: Synaptics Announces All-In-One Fingerprint and Facial Recognition System for Mobile Devices

 

[maflynn]

Cool technology, I hope to see this in future products I'm impressed with hello windows and if Apple could use similar, it will definitely be a plus

 

[lowendlinux]

After a few quiet years synaptics is really going for it.

 

[A MacBook lover]

It's clear something similar will be on this year's iPhone. In fact that image is roughly what the bezel-less iPhone 8 will probably look like.

Curious how other manufacturers will use this tech, considering apple was granted fingerprint through display patent last year.

 

[JohnApples]

Synaptics also recently introduced fingerprint sensors capable of scanning a fingerprint through glass

Don't fingerprint scanners already scan through glass? Like the one on the iPhone? Was it meant to say through a display?

Anyway, I think have dual biometric security measures would be awesome for a phone and damn near impossible to fool if implemented properly.

 

[camilaacolide]

These marketing pictures are so crazy sometimes! Holding the phone at this angle, even if her face showed up on the screen, there should be a sky behind her head, not the horizon. It feels weird. And with the finger in that position, it's almost implied she is going to scan her fingerprint... with gloves! Mindblowing!

 

[CarpalMac]

These marketing pictures are so crazy sometimes! Holding the phone at this angle, even if her face showed up on the screen, there should be a sky behind her head, not the horizon. It feels weird. And with the finger in that position, it's almost implied she is going to scan her fingerprint... with gloves! Mindblowing!

And the 2017 "overthinking" award goes to...

 

[JaySoul]

Finally... The 'Home' button can go home.

 

[camilaacolide]

And the 2017 "over thinking" award goes to...

Only three days into the year and I already got the year's award?
I'm so badass! =)

 

[Michael Scrip]

These marketing pictures are so crazy sometimes! Holding the phone at this angle, even if her face showed up on the screen, there should be a sky behind her head, not the horizon. It feels weird. And with the finger in that position, it's almost implied she is going to scan her fingerprint... with gloves! Mindblowing!

Haha... exactly. Looks like the marketing department skipped their meeting with the engineering department.

 

[Plutonius]

I hope it works better than Siri or else you will see people making different faces trying to get into their devices .

 

[kdarling]

Don't fingerprint scanners already scan through glass? Like the one on the iPhone? Was it meant to say through a display?

The RF capacitive scanner used for the current Touch Id requires an external transmit antenna ring.

Synaptics is doing it through glass with nothing on the outside. To do this, they just introduced an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. One advantage is that it doesn't care if your finger is wet, as RF scanners do.

Note that this would only be under bezel glass. It is their first step before embedding it in a display.

 

[chucker23n1]

The multi-factor fusion engine

Um, yeah, OK. What, is this a mobile cold fusion power plant? Or just a really terrible marketing name?

Don't fingerprint scanners already scan through glass? Like the one on the iPhone?

There's no glass above the Touch ID sensor, AFAICT.

 

[PlainviewX]

These marketing pictures are so crazy sometimes! Holding the phone at this angle, even if her face showed up on the screen, there should be a sky behind her head, not the horizon. It feels weird. And with the finger in that position, it's almost implied she is going to scan her fingerprint... with gloves! Mindblowing!

Who's to say shes not sitting, or laying, down like snowboarders do? Also, she's not using the fingerprint unlock. She's using the facial recognition. The glove is used to show you don't have to take off your gloves, or have special gloves, to unlock your phone and she's using facial recognition instead.

 

[Ferc Kast]

Apple is rumored to be working on a similar technology for the rumored iPhone 8

FTFY.

 

[Nahaz]

Synaptic's biometric engine must be light years ahead of everyone else to scan fingerprints while wearing gloves.

 

[Labeno]

Finally... The 'Home' button can go home.

How would you get back to the home screen without a home button? Assume the current app is using all the screen real estate to handle the controls of the game.

 

[chucker23n1]

Finally... The 'Home' button can go home.

I… what? Why? What problem is fixed by removing the Home button?

 

[Zedcars]

And the 2017 "overthinking" award goes to...

Not really overthinking - I had the same thought the second I saw the image. It's just odd.

 

[ram-it14]

I… what? Why? What problem is fixed by removing the Home button?

You remove a hole in the case of the phone, allowing for better waterproofing.

 

[JaySoul]

How would you get back to the home screen without a home button? Assume the current app is using all the screen real estate to handle the controls of the game.

I'm sure Apple will think of a way round it. Maybe they will go for soft buttons - although I agree that the screen real estate is an issue that few seem to think about. Maybe they will put a button on the side of the phone, or the rear. Gestures. My bet is Force Touch, though.

I… what? Why? What problem is fixed by removing the Home button?

The amount of space taken up by the bezels (which are ginormous on the iPhone). Screen to bezel ratio has needed improving for a while, now. Better waterproofing. Potentially better fingerprint reading/more secure. Flush design.
[doublepost=1483451753][/doublepost]

Synaptic's biometric engine must be light years ahead of everyone else to scan fingerprints while wearing gloves.

Iris scanning!

 

[Val-kyrie]

It's clear something similar will be on this year's iPhone. In fact that image is roughly what the bezel-less iPhone 8 will probably look like.

Here's to hoping that design is implemented across all models and not just the 5.5".

 

[StevieD100]

I hope it works better than Siri or else you will see people making different faces trying to get into their devices .

I don't care. Siri? Nah. Facial Recognition? No way Jose. Don't need it. As long as it can be totally disabled.
Great for the Selfi-Snappers though.

The security implications of all this Facial Recog tech being out there is huge. I really don't want every man/woman and their dog photographing me and uploading my image to Facebook along with my name. Sorry,
Maybe I'm a bit paranoid but that is the way I am. Like the majority of people in this world, I'm not (knowingly) on any Social Media platform and long may that remain.

 

[Nahaz]

Iris scanning!

Looks more like facial recognition rather than iris scanning from that image shown in OP's post

 

[Jsameds]

These marketing pictures are so crazy sometimes! Holding the phone at this angle, even if her face showed up on the screen, there should be a sky behind her head, not the horizon. It feels weird. And with the finger in that position, it's almost implied she is going to scan her fingerprint... with gloves! Mindblowing!

It's because if they used a real pic from that angle it would look more like this.