Facial Analysis for Real-Time Profiling

This project will develop an operationally and technically viable approach to cargo threat investigation. The main aim of the project is to provide a real-time dynamic passive profiling technique to assist Border Control Agencies and has the potential to improve hit rates; i.e. to improve targeting the people that carry contraband and hence ensure less is entering the UK.To be specific, the real-time dynamic passive profiling technique will be based on the modelling of facial expressions, eye movement and pupil changes in both the visual and thermal domains and link these to malicious intent and physiological processes (such as blood flow, eye movement patterns, and pupil dilation). To facilitate this process, one of the initial aspects of the project will be the collection, analysis and development of the dataset used to model the baseline of facial imagery behaviour of the general population against which physiological behaviours in people with malicious intent would need to be detected. Both the baseline and the dynamic profiling will be based on the response to a series of questions. The developed techniques will be evaluated in operational trails at border control points. The multi-modal facial analysis will provide additional information to the current profiling and the developed techniques will have a wider remit into other domains. It is envisioned that this will be easily integrated into the current process.There are three main challenges:a) to determine the facial/eye features, in combination with psychological profiling, to provide robust baselines that can be linked to malicious intent,b) to develop and combine the various dynamic real-time facial models (visual expression, thermal, eye movement) related to intent, andc) to evaluate the developed system within different environments, ranging from airport to port based border control points.