Biometric nonprofit Simprints has received a grant from Cisco Global Impact to open-source its facial biometrics technology. This move is aimed at making it easier for health ministries and NGOs to utilize its tools for humanitarian aid distribution. Simprints plans to reduce bias in its facial recognition models and explore the use of synthetically generated facial images for training data. The company’s solutions have been utilized in various countries, including Nigeria, Somalia, and Kenya, as well as in projects like an electronic community health information system in Ethiopia and vaccination campaigns in Uganda.
The grant from Cisco Global Impact will allow Simprints to accelerate the integration of ethical AI and support its move towards open source. This funding is seen as a game-changer for the company and will help in achieving regulatory compliance and protecting personal data while addressing the lack of training data. The use of Simprints technology has already shown positive impacts, including speeding up patient enrollment time and being easy to use for community health workers.
Cisco Global Impact grants are designed for nonprofit organizations working on social issues, and this grant will further support Simprints in its mission. The company has been collaborating with Cisco since 2018, initially testing mobile phone camera-based facial biometrics as an alternative to fingerprint biometric solutions. The partnership has now expanded to include the development of facial biometrics for humanitarian aid distribution programs.
Overall, Simprints’ efforts in open-sourcing its facial biometrics technology and reducing bias in its models are crucial steps towards ensuring fair and ethical use of biometric verification in humanitarian aid and healthcare initiatives. The company’s collaborations with various countries and organizations reflect its commitment to leveraging technology for social impact and reaching those in need.
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https://www.biometricupdate.com/202406/cisco-helps-simprints-take-face-biometrics-open-source
