Face and gesture recognition: overview

Computerised recognition of faces and facial expressions would be useful for human-computer interface, and provision for facial animation is to be included in the ISO standard MPEG-4 by 1999. This could also be used for face image compression. The technology could be used for personal identification, and would be proof against fraud. Degrees of difference between people are discussed, with particular regard to identical twins. A particularly good feature for personal identification is the texture of the iris. A problem is that there is more difference between images of the same face with, e.g., different expression or illumination, than there sometimes is between images of different faces. Face recognition by the brain is discussed.