Face recognition software developed by city students can detect criminals

A face recognition software developed by four engineering students from Bengaluru can help identify criminals who sometimes penetrate public places by changing their appearance. Four students at MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) — Subramanya Jois S P, Suchith Suresh, Bharath Reddy and Roshinder Singh — came up with the idea of developing a software that can identify any face once it is entered in its database.

Jois, who is studying eighth-semester electronics and communication engineering, said: “An identity database with the name of the person and their image needs to be stored in the software through live video streaming or a webcam. The software automatically recognises the face of a person even if he changes his appearance. It effectively monitors suspicious people entering airports, railway stations, bus stations or other public places.”

Entering the name in the database is a one-time process. The software can be  used in malls, airports and organisations like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is also effective in face recognition-based attendance system.

The software was developed on python platform (high-level programming language) and in Matlab (a multi-paradigm numerical computing environment). The students aim to add more features to the software if they can get adequate funds. The project took almost a year to develop and cost Rs 5,000. The MSRIT management has shown interest in installing the face recognition software in its attendance system, the students said.