OKI Develops Iris Recognition for Camera-equipped Mobile Phones and PDAs

Permalink: OKI Develops Iris Recognition for Camera-equipped Mobile Phones and PDAs by brian

Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-base telecommunications manufacturer, has successfully developed Iris Recognition Technology which manufacturers will be able to include in mobile phones and PDAs.

The technology is based on OKI’s original iris recognition algorithm using standard optical cameras equipped in mobile terminals. The company plans to start distributing the product worldwide in March 2007.

With the increasing sophistication of mobile terminals, services including payments by mobile phone and enterprise information management are becoming more commonly used. The incorporation of personal authentication can prevent misuse when the terminals are lost or stolen.

Iris recognition is an authentication technology using the iris pattern in the eye. The iris pattern is complex and random, making it difficult to find a recognizable rule and providing authentication with a high level of accuracy.

OKI already provides iris recognition technology-based equipment, but it requires a dedicated infrared camera in order to operate. OKI’s new Iris Recognition Technology for Mobile Terminals can use a standard camera that is embedded in a mobile terminal, because of the original algorithm OKI has developed.

The technology is embodied in a compact program and is easy to embed. It can authenticate the iris in a sufficient speed even when using the limited processing capacity of a mobile terminal. It therefore means that iris recognition equipment can be smaller than previously possible.

OKI will exhibit Iris Recognition Technology for Mobile Terminals at the ITU Telecom World 2006, which will be held at Hong Kong from December 4th to 8th.