OKI Unveils "Face Image Processing Hardware IP" to Enable Face Detection Function in LSIs

High-speed face detection can now be offered in embedded systems even with low CPU processing power

TOKYO, May 2008 -- Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (TSE: 6703) today announced it has developed “Face Image Processing Hardware IP” to enable face detection functionality on LSIs, which is one of the functions provided in OKI’s face image processing middleware “FSE™ (Face Sensing Engine™).” With this IP, manufacturers can now include in their embedded systems a function to detect faces from an image using a low CPU processing power.

OKI currently provides its award-winning FSE to the mid and high-end mobile phone and digital camera markets. As it can detect faces from images and identify individuals, FSE is currently used in digital cameras to enable an auto focus function. Though there has been demand to improve usability and the response speed of face detection, to do so, high CPU processing power has been required, which in turn, decreased the battery life.

“To respond to such needs, OKI developed this IP to enable quicker face detection without requiring more CPU processing power. We believe this Face Image Processing Hardware IP will impact the market as it will enable lower end digital camera and camera-equipped mobile phone manufacturers to include such functions into their devices,” said Seiji Inoue, General Manager of Human Sensing Venture Unit at OKI. “Following the IP of face detection, OKI also plans to develop a hardware IP for personal identification which will further expand the range of target applications.”

OKI has already enabled face detection processing to be done via hardware logic and to be embedded in LSIs. With this new IP, manufacturers can offer high-speed face detection at a speed of 30 frames per second, even in devices with low power CPUs. The cost of the LSI can also be reduced because the logic gate size is smaller than 300K. Since the software interface for the IP is the same as that of FSE Ver3., current FSE users can use this hardware IP without changing the application layer.

The face image processing hardware IP will be displayed at OKI Network LSI’s booth (No. East 49-23) at the 11th Embedded Systems Expo to be held in Tokyo from May 14 to 16.