Facial recognition technology is making inroads to the access control, security, and time and attendance businesses.  Initially we had time cards, then employee PIN numbers.  Next came fingerprint readers, then iris scanners (which proved unwelcome).  Now, September 2010, Lathem Time Clock has released the Lathem FaceID system.  Lathem wrote the software, another (Chinese) company builds the FR700 for Lathem.

The Lathem FaceID system is initially designed for 100 employees, and runs across a network, to the Lathem Payclock EZ software.  The enrollment process takes 30 seconds for each person.  During the enrollment process, the cameras (there are two), take 17 fast photos of the face.  The photos update every time that person clocks IN and OUT.

Once the person is enrolled, all they have to do is simply walk by the terminal, look at the LCD screen for 1 second, then continue to walk on by.  The system tells them if it is an IN punch or an OUT punch.  The facial recognition system will not accept a photograph, it is looking for a 2 dimensional image of the human face.  In testing, twins could not fool it.

The device has an array of infrared lights, it works in the dark, dim light and general office/factory light - but not in direct sunlight.  It has a USB Thumbdrive feature whe you can download the punches and then “sneakernet“ them back to your computer - the FaceID does not have to be connected to the computer to work.  The basic FR700 Lathem FaceID system terminal allows up to 5 administrators - who have the ability to add and delete people at the device, and 100 employees.  Each employee has 17 updateable images stored on the terminal.  Each FaceID terminal can hold 150,000 punch records and 70,000 images, between downloads.  It comes with a 4GB SIMM memory, 3.5” color LCD screen, tamper alarm (makes a wailing noise if they try to break it), and weighs only 1.15 lbs.  It connects via ethernet, you can put more than one terminal on a network.  Sign IN here, Sign OUT there.

In the short term, enhancements will include the ability to use Proximity (RFID) cards with the face, FaceID and PIN number, and access control.  Other enhancements will be released in the coming years. 

Click here to go back to the Lathem FaceID product page