Video cameras are everywhere, from doorbells and shopping centers to city intersections and state highways. Whoever you are, wherever you’re going, whatever you’re doing—there is no escaping the all-encompassing sweep of video cameras.
Video cameras are a proven tool for maintaining security and delivering justice, from armed robberies and hit-and-run car accidents to expert testimony in criminal courts. Facial images from video can be run through a Facial Recognition system or manually compared to a potential person of interest.
Imagine there is a bank robbery and security cameras recorded the suspect in action. The detective can enter that image into a Facial Recognition system, which will return a list of candidates as possible matches using various law enforcement databases such as mugshots or terrorist watchlists. The detective then needs to make the final decision as to whether any of the candidates is an investigative lead to the suspect. Anyone performing these comparisons requires specialized training in the Facial Identification (FI) discipline, imaged-based comparisons of human facial features.
This is where Ideal Innovations, Inc (I-3) comes in. I-3 has decades of experience, a strong foundation of expertise and enduring relationships with government agencies—which allow this firm to maintain an unparalleled position of leadership in the Facial Identification industry. The key to I-3’s success lies in its ability to train local and state law enforcement agencies, the military, and corporate security divisions in how to analyze data generated by Facial Recognition systems. I-3 is also working with officials at all levels of government to codify protocols, guidelines, and best practices in local, state and federal law; and to establish a certification process.
Today, an entire industry, not to mention numerous federal law enforcement agencies, look to I-3 for training, guidance, and leadership as Facial Recognition systems become more prominent. The stakes—for law enforcement, the corporate world, civil rights advocates, average citizens, and consumers—could not be higher.
Driving Ideal Innovations, Inc.’s success is the firm’s industry-wide leadership in Facial Identification and the range of pioneering services developed under its newly- formed Face Center of Excellence (FaCE).
In 2015, with the growing acceptance of facial recognition systems by federal, state, and even local law enforcement departments, I-3 recognized that people operating Facial Recognition systems were not trained to compare the results from the systems. Users jumped to conclusions based on suggestions provided by machine algorithms, which are not always accurate.
I-3 FaCE launched the first commercially available Facial Identification training course, which soon found the spotlight in this industry. The online and in-person training courses at Ideal Innovations, Inc. unveil a storehouse of knowledge and expertise in facial examination. Some of the topics that these courses highlight include the history of Facial Identification; understanding the face bones and muscles; morphological analysis; eliminating bias; report writing; and hands-on comparison exercises. These courses range from introductory to comprehensive and even refresher courses.
The cumulative effect of training is a professionalization of the discipline and future career path for forensic analysts specializing in Facial Identification, leading to a higher confidence in the accuracy of facial comparisons.
Since then, there has been no looking back for I-3.
Over the years, I-3 has added several additional offerings including the only ANAB-accredited FI proficiency test; comparison consulting services; and the recently launched FaCe On Demand, a subscription-based service for law enforcement and military organizations that requires facial comparisons, reports and testimony
The I-3 legacy dates back to 1998, when the use of biometrics was gaining traction in the defense industry. Since then, Ideal Innovations, Inc. has evolved into a company with core competencies in biometrics and forensics.
Based in Arlington, Virginia, I-3 maintains multiple locations throughout the Washington D.C. Metro area. I-3 also operates offices in West Virginia, Florida and Washington State and deploys employees overseas, throughout the U.S. Central Command, Africa, Europe and Asia.
The leadership position that I-3 now maintains in the Facial Identification industry is an outgrowth of its strong track record providing support to the DoD. Initially, I-3 provided fingerprint examination support to the Department of Defense (DoD). In 2009, the company assisted the DoD in becoming multimodal by providing face and iris examination support in addition to fingerprint examinations.
In this emerging biometric technology of Facial Identification, Ideal Innovations, Inc. stands out with its complete portfolio of offerings under the Face Center of Excellence. These services have been developed after years of research and planning, and I-3 has no intentions of stopping now.
The company is determined to remain a force in the Facial Identification discipline for many years to come. In addition, Ideal Innovations, Inc. is on a mission to earn household recognition as the go-to provider of Facial Identification services for the private sector, law enforcement, and military communities.
