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NEC testing cashless payment via facial recognition

July 12, 2016

NEC Corp. is conducting a series of trials for cashless payment services using its facial recognition technologies.

The trials are being conducted this summer at small shops in the company's headquarters building in Tokyo. The service allows retailers to offer customers a payment option that does not require cash or credit cards, according to a press release.

The cashless payment service verifies a customer's identity by comparing preregistered facial images for that individual with images taken by a camera installed near the POS terminal at the checkout counter.

The system under pilot uses NeoFace facial recognition technologies — featuring NEC's facial recognition algorithm — that have been recognized as providing the world's highest authentication accuracy, the release said.

The trial will allow NEC to analyze authentication performance and operational workload under a wide range of conditions inside the shops. This includes types of cameras used, installation position, lighting and the balance between security and convenience.

"This trial will enable us to improve technological performance and to accumulate knowledge towards the commercialization of facial authentication-based payment services, thereby helping NEC to enhance FinTech services and ensure greater safety and security," said NEC Senior Vice President Fumiaki Matsubara.