The Critical Role of Computer Vision in a COVID-19 World
COVID-19 has affected us all in ways we thought incapable six weeks ago. It has created pervasive uncertainty throughout our economy and changed, possibly forever, some of the ways we live.
As a society, we have been thrust online. Traditional face-to-face exchanges that used to be done in person like visiting the doctor, filling prescriptions, obtaining a bank loan, or taking an exam suddenly became verboten for fear of spreading the virus. An immediate need has developed to authenticate individuals as they go about their daily tasks online and the ability to do so accurately, quickly, and securely is paramount.
That last point, securely, is the most crucial. Businesses will only use our online authentication solutions when they can be confident that any type of spoofing attempt will be caught and flagged.
At Trueface, we have made spoof detection our number one priority, having invested considerable effort even before COVID-19 towards making our spoof technology on par with the best in the world. As the macro effects of COVID continue to shake out, it has become crystal clear that world-class spoof technology will be indispensable in our increasingly digital future.
Getting Back to Normal(ish)
Eventually, the world will reopen and return to business, although it may not be the usual business we left behind. This virus has made all of us reconsider every surface we come in contact with both inside and outside the home. In doing so we have limited our interactions to only those deemed essential for fear of collecting germs or contracting a lingering virus. We as a society will demand touchless, frictionless solutions when interacting with heavily used objects. We will want to access secure spaces without touching a doorknob or even laying our key fob on the same reader as others. We will want to buy our goods without having to swipe or scan or touch our credit card to a machine where thousands of other cards have previously been swiped.
We’ve entered an entirely new age of germaphobia and consumer-facing businesses will need to quickly adapt to new social norms and possible viral-related regulations. Frictionless access control and payment will become the preferred methods to enter buildings and pay for goods and services. Our faces have the potential to truly become our keys, our credit cards, and our primary method of accessing the world. Our faces are more secure than a password and (thankfully) can’t be forgotten.
When boarding planes, trains, ships, and other methods of public transportation that are confined, thermal imaging cameras may be used to take our body temperatures to ensure no one has a fever, an early indication of sickness. Shops and restaurants may need computer vision solutions like mask identifiers and density mapping to enforce new precautions like identifying that everyone is wearing a mask and remaining a certain distance apart respectively. Governments and businesses alike will require methods of contact tracing when future outbreaks occur to quickly identify those who are possibly infected in order to limit the spread of viruses. South Korea used this tool well to quash the spread of COVID-19 earlier this year.
With the help of computer vision technology, we are confident in our ability as a society to get through this challenging time and live in a safer and smarter world together. For more information as to how computer vision can benefit the challenges presented by COVID-19, please reach out to us. Stay safe and be well.
