Quantum Signal Wins NIST Advanced Technology Program Award for Biometrics Research and Development

    ANN ARBOR, Mich.--Oct. 8, 2002--Quantum Signal, LLC has been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program to develop and test advanced signal processing techniques for biometric applications.
    Biometrics -- the measurement of physical or behavioral characteristics to verify human identity -- is being considered as a security tool in both the public and private sectors. The field covers a wide range of authentication technologies: from fingerprint recognition to voice authentication to identification through keyboard typing technique. The focus of this award will be on face recognition and speaker verification.
    When successfully developed and commercialized, the new technology will be used to improve airport security through better screening; to improve safety and security and provide new telematic features in automotive vehicles through better occupant sensing; and to enable faster automated verification in telecommunications. These will provide great economic and intangible benefits to the Nation. In addition, the core technology being developed will be applicable not only to face and voice authentication, but also in other current and future biometric modalities such as fingerprints, iris recognition, gait analysis, or even complete MRI's of the human body.
    Although many biometric data sources are suitable to uniquely identify an individual, the extraction and algorithmic processing of this data has proven to be an extraordinary challenge. The problem pre-dates the computer, when police attempted to identify suspects based on visual matching of fingerprint characteristics or facial "mug shots". These old techniques have given way to highly automated, computerized recognition systems. The problem remains the same, however: biometrics based security is only as good as its ability to correctly identify an individual and reject imposters.
    Today, many commercial biometric systems cannot accommodate the variations and noise common in real world situations. Variations that pose difficulties include those inherent in an individual (e.g., beards or eyeglasses), and those due to aspects of data collection (e.g., facial camera angles and poor cell phone operation). These variations can cause accuracy to drop to 50% or less.
    Quantum Signal, a leader in advanced signal processing techniques, plans a three-year project to develop a novel math-based approach that will result in 90% accurate biometric authentications through face and voice recognition. Current biometrics technologies are almost completely "feature based" relying on specific unique aspects of the subject such as eye-to-eye or eye-to-nose distances. Feature-based technology, a product of traditional machine vision/computer science, cannot accommodate variation inherent in biometrics.
    Quantum Signal's technology, a significant step forward for biometrics, is based on advanced patented signal processing principles developed previously by Dr. William J. Williams, the Principal Investigator and his team. The technology relies upon inherent characteristics of the data and, therefore, is less dependent upon the variations discussed earlier. The techniques were first used to identify specific marine mammals in the noisy, difficult environment of underwater sound.
    Quantum Signal has assembled an experienced team to execute this project. Besides Dr. Williams, co-founder of Quantum Signal who recently retired as a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan; the team includes Dr. Mitchell Rohde, co-founder of Quantum Signal, who is an expert in biomedical technology; Dr. Robert Bossemeyer with over 18 years of research experience in speech technologies; and Dr. Steve Rohde, a math-based technology and automotive expert who recently retired as a Technical Director from General Motors.
    NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration. The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) bridges the gap between the research lab and the market place, stimulating prosperity through innovation. Through partnerships with the private sector, ATP's early stage investment is accelerating the development of innovative technologies that promise significant commercial payoffs and widespread benefits for the nation. As part of the highly regarded National Institute of Standards and Technology, the ATP is changing the way industry approaches R&D, providing a mechanism for industry to extend its technological reach and push out the envelope of what can be attempted. The ATP awards are highly competitive. Since 1990, 4,696 proposals were submitted and only 581 projects were awarded nationally.

    About Quantum Signal

    Founded in 1999, Quantum Signal LLC is an engineering services company specializing in advanced signal processing and pragmatic algorithmic solutions for its automotive, aerospace, and biometrics clients. As a leader in this dynamic field, the Ann Arbor-based firm is transitioning exciting signal processing technologies out of the ivory tower and into a wide variety of commercial applications. For additional information on Quantum Signal, please visit our Web site at www.quantumsignal.com or call (734) 994-0028.