Automatic Face Authentication from 3D surface

This paper presents automatic face authentication based on facial surface analysis. The success of a previous profile-based approach, exclusively relying on geometrical features of the external contour, led us to consider the full facial surface. This motivation was further supported by the independence of viewpoint and lighting conditions of 3D information. The geometry also carries information which is complementary to grey-level based approaches, supporting the combination with those techniques. The facial surface is captured by a system based on structured light and adapted to face to deliver a cheap, fast and sufficiently precise solution. Typical applications concern security in cooperative situations.