Polar ID

Enabling the next level of biometric security

Ultra-secure and affordable face unlock in a condensed footprint

Being the world’s only consumer-scale imaging system that can sense the full polarization state of light, Polar ID enables the next level of biometric security. Using breakthrough advances in meta-optic capability, Polar ID accurately captures the unique “polarization signature” of a human face. With this additional layer of information, even the most sophisticated 3D masks and spoof instruments are immediately detected as non-human.

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Large scale security, small scale package and price tag.

Polar ID eliminates the need for an entire optical module compared to structured light and doesn’t require a complicated time-of-flight sensor. The laser dot pattern projector remains one of the most complex and expensive modules integrated into phones today. Polar ID provides all the information needed to recognize and authenticate a person with a single image. With significant reduction in size, cost, and improved performance, Polar ID is unlocking secure digital payment and beyond in the most challenging spaces and markets.

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Recognition and authentication in a single image

“Structured Light” face authentication solutions require 2 illumination modules- one to recognize the face, and an expensive dot-pattern projector to authenticate it as human.

Polar ID harnesses meta-optic technology to extract additional information such as facial contour details and to detect human tissue liveness from a single image.

Image of people using mobile device in dark and daylight conditions

All phones, all conditions – dark to daylight

Existing solutions either do not work in the dark or outside in bright sunlight. 2D selfie camera approaches cannot be used in the dark and are easily tricked with 2D photos or 3D masks. Structured light struggles with unlock on bright days and comes with a prohibitive price tag. Either approach compromises security or doesn’t work when the user’s face is obscured with glasses or pandemic masks. With more than 10x the resolution of structured light, Polar ID never compromises security for user experience. A new standard for face unlock is here.

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Key Advantages

The world’s first polarization sensor for smartphones, Polar ID provides ultra-secure facial authentication in a condensed footprint, lowering implementation cost and complexity.

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Small enough to fit in the most challenging form factors, eliminating the need for a large notch in the display. Polar ID is comprised of one low profile near infrared polarization camera with unique meta-optics technology and one active illumination at 940nm for a compact, simple solution.

Secure enough that it doesn’t get fooled by the most sophisticated 3D masks. Using breakthrough advances in meta-optic capability, Polar ID accurately captures the unique “polarization signature” of a human face. With this additional layer of information, even the most sophisticated 3D masks and spoof instruments are immediately detected as non-human.

Substantially higher resolution than existing facial authentication solutions, so even if you’re wearing sunglasses and a surgical mask, the system still works. Polar ID operates in the near infrared at 940nm enabling secure face unlock in any lighting conditions, daylight and nighttime, indoor and outdoor.

Substantially lower price point than structured light solutions, enabling secure face unlock for the 100s of millions of mobile devices that currently use less reliable, less convenient fingerprint sensors.

Convenience and security for all phones, not just the flagships.

Now running on a fully embedded platform with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon, Polar ID has the efficiency, footprint, and price point to enable any smartphone OEM to bring the convenience and security of face unlock to the 100s of millions of mobile devices that currently use less reliable, less convenient fingerprint sensors.